The Nittardi 2016 Chianti Classico Riserva is a handsome and balanced wine that delivers lots of intensity, partly due to the quality of the primary fruit and partly due to the spicy oak. The wine opens to a dark, inky appearance with more plum and blackberry than you get in your standard Chianti Classico (those wines tend to veer toward red and purple fruits instead). The wine, representing a blend of 97% Sangiovese and 3% Merlot, offers lots of power and momentum with soft tannins and a nice touch of crisp acidity on the close. Serve it with an ossobuco and a side of extra cheesy risotto. A mere 8,000 bottles were made.