Chianti Classico 2013 & 2012: The Luck of the Draw

Ask ten growers about the 2013 and 2012 vintages in Chianti Classico and you are likely to get ten different answers, some of them starkly different. That, in a nutshell, encapsulates just how diverse Chianti Classico is as a region. Generalities are hard to come by in both 2013 and 2012. For that reason, most of the vintage commentaries are included within the respective producer profiles. This article covers wines from Chianti Classico and the broader Chianti appellation, most of which I tasted this past summer.

2013 – Promising, But Variable

Two thousand thirteen has turned out to be a mostly strong vintage for Chianti Classico. The wines range from excellent to sublime. A few 2013s show the potential to ascend into the ranks of the truly epic. All that said, 2013 is not an easy vintage to get a grasp on. The vintage is described by some growers as cool and late-ripening, with good alternation between daytime and evening temperatures, one of the conditions that is considered essential for the development of color, aromatics and full physiological ripeness. In my view, these are the most compelling wines of the year. So far only the base Chianti Classicos have been released, but some of the 2013s I tasted in barrel are thrilling. The finest 2013s resemble the 2010s, but with more mid-palate richness, ripeness and sweetness.

But 2013 is not a success across the board. Wines from areas that saw warmer temperatures and less rain – at times also accompanied by lower yields – are at times dark, heavy and lacking the verve that makes Sangiovese so captivating. There will likely be a few exceptions, but even so, I don’t see the 2013s rivaling the translucent purity of the 2010s, the vintage that is in my view the finest since 2006.

High altitude hillside vineyards at Montevertine, Radda in Chianti