Had a rocking, raging, off the hook bottle of 1997 Felsina Chianti Classico Rancia Riserva that was what Sangiovese should smell and taste like. The nose was deep and the component that stood out to me was well-water. Traditional Sangio always smells like well-water to me. Call me a loon but Pergole Torte, Rancia, early Percarlo and Montesecondo have that thing. Structured as Sangiovese can get this was still drinking pretty well. Deep wine with pure fruit and a long finish with incredibly refined tannins. I had the privilege of attending a vertical of Rancia some years ago and the '85 and '83 were singing so I suspect this has many years ahead of it.
Opened a bottle of the 2007 A.J. Adam Kabinett and it was corked. So I opened another bottle and it was not corked but was gorgeous. Ethereal, floaty wine, with nice grip and good structure to last at least ten more years. Real nice fruit soak on the finish and lovely notes of slate. Kept getting better and better. Maybe the most impressive bottle of this I have had yet, alas I have no more, so someone out there better open some for me!
Had a bottle of wait…wait…1998 Grand Mayne which is a remnant from my brief flirtation with right bank spoofy wines. It was nice and age seems to have calmed down the spoof. Good earthy notes, no real hint of oak, some St. Emilion green, which I like and loads of fruit but not offensive sticky, syrupy fruit. Really nice wine. I have another bottle and I think I’ll hold onto it as I think this will age classically and get better. Real surprise here.
Rancia is a great bottling - I can’t wait till the '04 is ready to dig into, as I get the sense that they have gotten better with time (I’ve even enjoyed the '03, which is not a vintage I’m fond of in Italy).
I’ve still got the '90 Grand Mayne in the cellar, Lyle, and it’s still drinking well and no spoof that I can discern - perhaps they changed their style over the years.
One of the most interesting wine evolutions I can remember was the 95 Rancia: for years, this wine was painfully tight, brooding, heavy and unyielding. I recall getting really frustrated with this wine, wondering if it would ever come around…and boy did it ever. Similar to your description of the 97, simply benchmark sangiovese. The 97 entered its drinking window sooner…but I’m not sure if it will last quite as long.
Good to hear Grand Mayne’s shift was after the 1994. That un-Parker wine was really good the last time I had it two years ago. No world beater, but honest right bank Bordeaux. And not corked.
Doug, I think you poured that '95 Rancia several years ago at a tasting group gathering, at your house. I remember finding it tight and unyielding. Glad I wasn’t “wrong” and really glad it’s come around. Sometimes wines just need their time, whether or not we’re ready to give it to them.
I just had the 97 Ranica last night and boy was she in fine form. The metamorphosis that this wine undergoes with age is truly something to behold, as I remember it behaving very similar manner to how the 04 is showing today. Tight, clenching fruit, and little complexity unfolds to an exquisite array of black cherry and cedar with terrific acidity, incredibly refined. I’ll have my note up later. Thanks for posting, Dale
That’s an interesting comment that got me thinking what wines change the most over time. Rancia has to be up there as does Yquem and JJ Prum WS Auslese.
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