Castello di Radda 2017 / Chianti Classico DOCG / Decanter Gold, Two Glasses By Independent Wine!

The Castello di Radda 2017 | Chianti Classico DOCG | Decanter Gold, Two Glasses is the latest bottle of wine I’ve been taste testing for Independent Wine and I have to sat, I think I enjoyed this one even more than the last. I’m a big wine fan, whatcan I say but it really is like fish and chips, great unless it’s not great and when it’s not great it’s awful! Luckily Indpeendent Wine choose their offerings very carefully and with their masses of experience they can help you do the same if you’re a little bit like a grape in the dark when it comes to choosing. Their knowledge base of Italian wine is outstanding yet without pretentions and it makes choosing wines that little bit easier for the majority of us!

The award-winning 2017 vintage Chianti Classico DOCG is, by their description, a delicious wine crafted by the legendary Beretta family at their vineyard in Radda – the very heart of the Chianti Classico region. Located at 400 meters above sea level, the production yields are very low. Vines are planted densely, which ensures the grapes reach optimum quality before hand-harvesting takes place. The wine is aged in large Slavonian oak barrels which adds the distinctive taste of vanilla, spice and smoke. Before release, the wine is further aged in the bottle for at least six months. 

Now I wouldn’t say I’m one for smoky red wine on the whole but this one I really did like. I’m no aficionado, I just like what I like and I can, I think, taste the difference between a cheapy bottle and one of more note. This one is something special, a fab Christmas present and coupled with the fact Independent Wine are offering FREE delivery as well as FREE gift wrap it absolutely means you can afford to spend a bit more on a better bottle and benefit from not having to shell out on postage and prettying!

And let’s face it, it is all about Christmas now right yet with lockdown mark two in full swing plans for all of us are well up in the air. I think the quizzes of the summer and lockdown 1.0 are maybe a thing of the past as with warm fires on cosy evenings to fend off the cold outside it’s going to be all about the wine tasting evening with friends instead. Independent Wine are offering Zoom wine tasting classes which again can be taken advantage of using their FREE delivery option as they will offer this on all orders, even just one bottle of their premium wine. Actually, I think it sounds more inviting than going out anyway, don’t you (but shhh, don’t tell Boris I said that, we do want to be able to see family too right?)!

So this Christmas the Independent Wine’s e shop is very much going to be a busy business I think. What better way to treat family and friends over the festive period and with a really great bottle of wine instead of a cheapy supermarket offering that you’d then have to package and post – no brainer isn’t it! This particular bottle definitely comes recommended by me (and Jonny, who got to do more than taste it – he says it was a tough job but he took one for the team considering I’m having to taste and spit right now – baby innit) and if you’re wondering what the tasting notes are then Independent wine say you can expect aromas of sweet black plum, liquorice, chocolate, and violet. I’d add that it has a smoky, oakiness to it which isn’t overpowering or taking away from any of the other subtle flavours. I lovely bottle with an ageing potential of 10 years making it special enough to gift but certainly one to keep for yourself too!

Collaboration.