2006 Villa Cafaggio, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG (RT93) I’ve followed this wine since release, and it’s always been delicious. With its light ruby garnet hue, at age 18 the 2006 Cafaggio CCR wafts up notes of Montgomery red cherry, red currant, green olives hints of sage and Tuscan scruff. The bouquet shows the charismatic evolution of tertiary notes blended with hints of freshness and perfectly ripe fruit. The palate is well integrated and drinking at full peak and expressively showing a bit of modern polish yet well integrated and balanced with ample terroir-driven Sangiovese fruit, fresh acidity and ripe, suave soft tannins. This is an excellent food wine that’s in a perfect place of development, best served with hearty meat as well as red sauce pasta dishes. Try and seek some out in the aftermarket if you’re interested. If you can find a source and it’s been well stored, you’ll be rewarded. Drink now-2031+ Tasted January 2025
Villa Cafaggio encompasses 60 hectares which includes 30 planted as vineyards, 3 as olive groves and the remaining left as forest. Positioned in the hamlet of Greve in Chianti (Panzano), the property is situated on the western edge of the gently ridged Conca d’Oro which is well known for producing some of the appellations finest wines. The Conca d’Ora’s soils are a mix of rocky galestro limestone (an olive green type of limestone unique to Chianti) and calcareous sandstone with a “scaly clay” texture and plasticity.
The Farkas family first bought the property in the 1860s as a farm property and was replanted and the winery renovated in 1967 by Stefano Farkas, heir to the estate. The typical house style has always embraced some level of modernism, but never over the top or with excessive toast levels in its use of French oak, and has always leaned toward balanced, elegant wines. From 2005 to 2015, Villa Cafaggio was managed by the La-Vis Group, and then was bought by Istituto Atesino di Sviluppo S.p.A. in 2016.
Today Cafaggio (now known as Basilica Cafaggio) produces four “Chianti Classico”: Basilica Solatìo Chianti Classico Riserva, Basilica San Martino Chianti Classico Riserva, as well as a Chianti Classico Riserva and a Chianti Classico. They also produce two Cru bottlings: Basilica del Cortaccio, which is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and Basilica del Pruneto, which is 100% Merlot.
Cafaggio only produces their Chianti Classico Riserva in the best vintages. The 2006 was crafted from 100% estate grown, hand harvested Sangiovese that was gently pressed using only gravity to move the must within the winery. It is fermented with indigenous yeast (spontaneous fermentation) and after was complete, the 2006 was aged for 18 months in barrique. In more recent vintages the wine has been moved to entirely being aged in Slavonian casks, which has returned it to a more classical, traditional Chianti Classico expression. I find the Riserva a big step up in quality compared to their Chianti Classico bottling.
