Review: Santa Margherita, Chianti Classico Riserva

This Friday, September 6th, is National Chianti Day and that’s as good of an excuse as any to have some Chianti. Although, truth be told, I don’t need an excuse.

Chianti Classico is one of my “go to” wines. By that, I mean it’s a style of wine I choose often because it’s consistently pretty good. That consistency is regulated through a consortium, which defines the guidelines that must be followed for a wine to be labeled as Chianti Classico. These include things like the types of grapes that can be used, ageing of the wine and the organoleptic characteristics of the wine. Every wine labeled as Chianti Classico must pass a quality review by a consortium tasting panel to ensure it looks, smells and tastes like a Chianti Classico should.

When people are still new to wine and ask me how they can get better at choosing wines, I often suggest finding some “go to” categories of wine (i.e., region, grapes, etc.) and focusing on those for a while. The idea is, basically, you find a wine that you like and then seek similar wines. By doing this, you narrow your focus and you can get to know that type of wine really well.

In my opinion, Chianti Classico is a great choice for a “go to” wine. It’s a delicious type of wine that tends to be very food-friendly, and as I mentioned, they are consistent by design.

For those who don’t know, Chianti Classico isn’t a grape but rather a designation that represents the types of grapes that can be used in the wine, the region where it can be grown, how it must be aged and other factors. You might also find some wines labeled as Chianti or Chianti Rufina. While these wines have some similarities with Chianti Classico, they are different designations produced under different guidelines.

Santa Margherita, Chianti Classico Riserva

Once you have a go to category of wine, you can then find specific brands within that category you prefer. Today, I’m tasting Santa Margherita, Chianti Classico Riserva.

The guidelines specify that a Chianti Classico Riserva must be made with a minimum of 80% Sangiovese grapes. This one is made with 85% Sangiovese and 15% Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine also has a minimum of 24 months of ageing before release, including at least 3 months of ageing in the bottle. This ageing is a distinction from Chianti Classico, without the “Riserva” designation, which would only have a minimum of 12 months ageing.

Santa Margherita inaugurated National Chianti Day in 2020 to honor Chianti’s heritage. This is celebrated on the first Friday of every September.

Tasting Notes

This wine is very fragrant, offering a nice balance of spice and fruit aromas, such as cherry, plum, nutmeg, toasted oak, wildflowers and flinty mineral. The palate delivers bright, tart cherry, plum and spice flavors with vibrant acidity. The mouthfeel is smooth. It finishes long, with cherry, spice and mineral flavors.

Wine: Santa Margherita, Chianti Classico Riserva
Varieties: 85% Sangiovese, 15% Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2021
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 90
Average price: $24.99
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.