Chianti, Rocca Di Montegrossi Chianti Classico San Marcellino 2016

 The 2014 Chianti Classico San Marcellino is a deep, dense wine with serious structure. The fruit is dark and inward, but over time the blackest of cherries, smoke, incense, minerals, earthiness and tar emerge in the glass. Far from an easygoing 2014, the San Marcellino needs at least a handful of years in the cellar, after which it should drink beautifully. The San Marcellino is 95% Sangiovese and 5% Pugnitello that spent 18 months in Allier oak (24% new), the traces of which need time to integrate. A touch of heat on the finish is borderline distracting, which is pretty much the only thing that keeps the score from going higher.