The 2019 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Sorbo Gran Selezione is a distinguished red wine from Tuscany, Italy, made entirely from Sangiovese grapes. Produced by Fontodi, this wine is notable for its complexity and depth, earning high praise from several respected wine critics.
Decanter awarded the wine a score of 93 and highlighted its "coffee, tobacco, and violet notes with some liquorice." The review also mentioned the "fine-grained and grippy" tannins and a "long finish with the fruit lingering" (Decanter, 3/4/2023).
James Suckling gave the wine an impressive 95 points, praising its "complex aromas of dried flowers, orange peel, and white pepper," combined with "lots of cherries." He noted that the wine is "full-bodied, but linear and very fine in the center-palate," with a "linear flow of citrusy acidity." He also mentioned that the grapes are organically grown and predicted that the wine "will age beautifully" (James Suckling, 8/8/2022).
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate rated the wine even higher at 97 points, describing it as an "iconic wine" with "all new energy." The review highlighted the "etched mineral notes of pencil shaving and iron ore," which are balanced by "sweet cherry fruit, plum, and spice." The review also noted the wine's origins from schistous galestro soils and discussed the vineyard's strategies to manage rising alcohol levels (Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 2/10/2023).
Vinous also gave the wine a strong score of 95, calling it a "potent, virile wine endowed with tremendous depth and equally imposing tannins." The review mentioned flavors of "dark fruit, herbs, chocolate, menthol, and spice," and noted its "large-scaled tannins and hints of rusticity" (Vinous, 7/1/2022).
Wine Spectator awarded it 94 points and described it as "elegant," with "floral, cherry, raspberry, and mineral flavors." The review noted a "touch of earth" and recommended drinking it now through 2030 (Wine Spectator, 9/30/2023).
The Wine Independent gave it 96 points, praising its "ripe cherry and softly fragrant nose," and mentioning notes of "crushed rose petal." The review described it as "round, smooth, and incredibly juicy on the palate," with "firm but refined tannins" and a "very long finish" (The Wine Independent, 1/26/2023).
Finally, Jeb Dunnuck gave the wine 96 points, highlighting its "saturated red color" and describing it as "sunny and pure" with layers of "wild black cherries, wet stones, a hint of saddle leather, and lifted anise." The review noted its "mouthwatering and seamless acidity" and predicted it would "only improve with time" (Jeb Dunnuck, 1/25/2024).
Overall, the 2019 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva Sorbo Gran Selezione is a highly regarded wine with strong endorsements from multiple critics, making it a noteworthy choice for both immediate enjoyment and long-term aging.