Mazzei’s Castello di Fonterutoli Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2021 is the estate’s flagship Sangiovese, drawn from its best hillside parcels around Fonterutoli in Castellina in Chianti. The vineyards sit at roughly 470 meters on rocky alberese (limestone) soils, a setting that typically emphasizes brightness and structure. The wine is 100% Sangiovese, built from extensive selection: Vinous reports it as “a blend from around 30 small parcels,” while Wine Advocate notes the vines span “six clones and eight massal selections.” Alcohol is listed at 14%.

In the cellar, fruit is hand-harvested (from about September 23, per the producer) and the finished wine is matured with patience and intention. Wine Advocate details “18 months in oak with an additional four months in cement to integrate,” aligning with the estate’s stated regimen of 500-liter French oak barrels (about half new) before a concrete finishing period. Production is substantial for a top-tier bottling, with Wine Advocate calling it a “47,000-bottle release” (the producer cites about 56,600 bottles).

Critically, 2021 is meeting high expectations. Decanter delivers an excellent 96-point review, praising “ripe, dark fruit aromas,” “fine natural tannins,” and “aromatic complexity on the long finish,” and concludes it is “one of the top Gran Selezione of the vintage.” Vinous (95 points) calls it “silky, aromatic and wonderfully nuanced… all class from start to finish,” with “clean mineral notes” supporting the close. James Suckling (95) highlights “violets, berries, sandalwood and cherries,” plus “round and polished tannins,” adding that it “needs two or three years to open… Drink after 2026.” Wine Spectator (93) finds it “inviting” and “open-knit,” marked by “dusty cherry, black currant, violet and cedar,” and recommends drinking “now through 2038.” Overall, it reads as a mid-weight, polished Gran Selezione with clear fruit, mineral detail, and cellar-worthy structure.