Sign In

2017 Istine Chianti Classico Riserva Levigne

Not Currently In Auction

Latest Sale Price

July 27, 2025 - $48

Estimate

RATINGS

97Vinous / IWC

Ample and explosive in the glass, with tremendous resonance, the 2017 is off the charts gorgeous... Macerated dark cherry, spice, leather, menthol and a whole range of balsamic inflections fill out the layers in a dramatic, towering Chianti Classico Riserva. In a word: stunning.

95Wine Enthusiast

Enticing aromas of ripe black-skinned fruit, iris, new leather and camphor lead the nose. It's smooth, structured and has great energy for such a hot vintage, offering flavors of dried cherry, raspberry compote, blood orange and tobacco set against taut refined tannins.

93Wine Spectator

Bright and woven with strawberry and cherry fruit, this red is also supple and lively. Earth, mineral and wild thyme elements add detail. A swath of dusty tannins lingers on the finish, yet the ripe fruit returns, giving equilibrium and length.

90James Suckling

A fruity, tangy Chianti Classico with dried-cherry, chocolate and light walnut character. Medium-bodied, savory and delicious with walnut and leaf character at the finish.

16Jancis Robinson

Concentrated balsamic, savoury cherry nose with a hint of tobacco leaf. Opens up with aeration. Profound cherry fruit with powdery tannins. Powerfully structured and almost a little tart on the end and with subtle raspberry finish.

REGION

Italy, Tuscany, Chianti Classico

Chianti is Tuscany’s most famous and historic wine district, and the Chianti Classico DOCG is the most prestigious Chianti appellation. Fittingly, it is located in the heart of the larger Chianti DOCG. Chianti’s wines were so esteemed during the Renaissance that the Medici princes of Florence designated several villages within the Chianti region as discrete production zones, setting up the first appellations in Italy. By the 20th century Chianti was Italy’s primary wine export. But the pizza parlor Chiantis sent to foreign markets were inexpensive, unremarkable reds presented in round-bottomed, straw-covered bottles. To upgrade Chianti wines and the region’s image, the Chianti Classico DOC was created in 1967, then upgraded to DOCG status in 1984, with additional modifications made in 1996. In the last 20 years a consortium of Chianti Classico producers have researched new Sangiovese clones, replanted vineyards, updated cellar practices and generally made Chianti Classico DOCG a world-class appellation. Chianti Classico must contain a minimum of 75% Sangiovese. In the 2014 edition of its annual compendium of wine ratings, Gambero Rosso noted that Chianti Classico DOCG wines were noteworthy for their “significant return to a more defined style, true to tradition.”

TYPE

Red Wine, Sangiovese, D.O.C.G.

This red grape is largely grown in central Italy. As the sole component or in a blend, it gives us Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Morellino and Super Tuscans, among other favorites wines. The name is derived from the Latin for “blood of Jove.”

VINTAGE

2017 Istine Chianti Classico Riserva Levigne