2020 Pietramaggio Chianti Classico

Pietramaggio is produced from the Grignano estate in Chianti Rufina — land that once belonged to Catherine de Medici in the 15th century. Today the Inghirami family, one of Italy's preeminent names in textile and fashion, farms 54 hectares of certified-organic vineyards while storing decades of aging wine alongside their antique textile collections in the historic cellars below.

Winemaker Tommaso Inghirami blends tradition with modernity: fermentation in stainless steel at controlled temperatures, followed by malolactic fermentation and 12 months of aging in oak barrels. The 2020 vintage brought a very hot, dry year with normal rainfall, spring frost that reduced yields, and a warm summer that delivered ripe, fleshy fruit. Harvest ran from late September through early October at an average of 24.8 Brix.

The result is a juicy, spiced-cherry-and-plum wine rounded by creamy tannins — Sangiovese that delivers Chianti Classico character without the $35-plus price tag. It's pristine, easy-drinking daily wine that stays true to its place of origin.

$19.99 for a wine that earned 90 points from three major critics. Chianti Classico is meant to be the everyday red you reach for without thinking twice. This is that bottle.