2011 Castello di Brolio Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
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Tasting notes
80% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. 18 months in barriques and tonneaux. Hot, dry August then cool September nights. Deep crimson. Good freshness on the nose. Lively and smooth-textured with noticeably more pace than the 2000, 2003 and 2008. Dry but not drying finish. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Deep crimson with orange tinges. Modern, sweet, lifted nose with hints of oak and candied peel. Quite sweetly oaked on the palate, well crafted and balanced, if a little anonymous. (WS)
I was less enthusiastic about the 2011 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Castello di Brolio that seems to show more evident signs of the scorching 2011 summer heat. There’s a ton of ripe fruit and chocolate with some distant aldehydic-like touches of cherry skin that have been shriveled in sunshine. It feels thick and sticky in the mouth.
Freshly cut flowers, sweet spices and dark red cherries are all woven together in the 2011 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Castello di Brolio. Layered and silky on the palate, the 2011 offers good balance, even if the oak is a bit pronounced. Overall, this is a solid, if not particularly exciting wine. The Gran Selezione designation appears only on the back label, which strikes me as a curious choice.