2018 Castello di Querceto "Il Picchio" Chianti Classico Gran Selezione (750ml Bottle)

93 Points from Decanter Magazine: "The Picchio vineyard is encircled by forest which protects it from cold northern winds. Planted on poor schistose soil, the vines are now 30-plus years old. Exuberantly youthful, aromas of blackberry, smoke, wild herbs and flinty stone are immediately captivating. It's full and quite fruity in expression, especially for a Gran Selezione. Crunchy red plum and black cherry are backed by fresh grape tannins. It becomes quite dense on the backend without sacrificing delightful freshness. This sees just eight months in barriques, of which 10% are new." (3/26/21) 92 Points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "This wine was first produced in 1998. It was classified as a Riserva until 2011 when it was promoted to Gran Selezione status. A blend of 95% Sangiovese with a tiny 5% addition of Colorino from a single vineyard, the Castello di Querceto 2018 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Il Picchio offers rich fruit weight and saturated aromas of blackberry and dark