Basilica Cafaggio Single Estate Chianti Classico

Revisiting a favorite Costco find five vintages later! The Basilica Cafaggio Single Estate Chianti Classico.

100% Sangiovese from Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy that is aged in Slavonian oak for 12 months.

We found this wine at Costco for just $9.89 but there are other sellers on wine-searcher, it’s just that they have a much higher average price of $18. Imported by Ethica Wines.

From the bottle:

A deliciously concentrated example of Chianti Classico, this has dark ruby colour and rich notes of black cherry, fruitcake and plum on the palate. Serve this wine at room temperature. It makes a versatile partner for lots of savoury dishes, but do try it above all with meaty pasta dishes, roast game or poultry and mature cheeses. This wine has been released ready to drink, but it will evolve well over the next twenty four months, softening and mellowing with maturity. Store in a cool, dark and dry place. The grapes for this wine are 100% Sangiovese. This wine was aged in Slavonian oak casks for 12 months to add extra richness and body.

13.0% Alcohol

As we noted at the top, this is a wine we first discovered several years ago and at the time dubbed it the best $10 Chianti Classico we had ever tasted. Of course, finding Chianti Classico for that low of a price can be quite a challenge in and of itself! And that’s simply because unlike the basic Chianti designation, Chianti Classico wines have more stringent requirements like a higher percentage of Sangiovese and more time in oak. (For more on this see our Guide to Chianti.)

The 2015 Basilica Cafaggio Single Estate Chianti Classico begins with pleasant aromas of sour cherry, baking spice, a little leather and cranberry. Tasting reveals lots of juicy, candied cherry and lovely spice notes with hints of vanilla and cinnamon on the palate of this dry wine. It’s all wrapped up in an extremely tasty, smooth and silky texture. The wine ends dry with a good dose of spice followed by lingering juicy tart fruit. It holds up just fine on day 2. This one is tailor made for pizzas and pastas!

This vintage needs a bit more air to open up than we remember on the 2010 so be patient and give it a little time. When you do you are rewarded with a really delicious wine. Like we said last time, it might just be the best $10 Chianti Classico we’ve ever tasted!