Chianti Classico is currently experiencing a whole series of good to excellent vintages - and its producers know how to use the opportunities. Despite the undoubtedly noticeable effects of climate change, despite changed ripening conditions and on average noticeably higher alcohol levels, many of them succeed in producing elegant and at the same time complex wines in a quantity and quality that has perhaps never been seen before.
The development of the Gran Selezione seems to us to be particularly striking. The fears that the new quality top of the Chianti Classico introduced a few years ago would "cannibalize" the Annata and the Riserva do not seem to be confirmed. Even more important, however, is how the vintners deal with the new category. More and more often, the awareness seems to prevail that greatness in wine can be defined much more by finesse than by sheer power and concentration. Even though there are and will probably always be heavy blockbusters: The pendulum is currently swinging in the other direction.
