Review: Wines of San Felice, 2025 Releases
We receive samples from Tuscany’s San Felice on a regular clip, and today we look at a quartet of outstanding wines in current release.
For a good time, please check out Rob’s wide-ranging interview with Carlo De Biasi, director of San Felice Wines. Meanwhile, let’s dig in.
2023 Bell’Aja Bolgheri Blanco – White wines from Bolgheri are rare, but this blend of primarily vermentino is proof that we should be drinking more of them. Lively notes of pineapple and quince kick things into a New World vibe right away, though ample acidity and salinity temper any thoughts of this wine becoming blown out by fruit. Nevertheless it remains bright and vibrant well into its lengthy finish, which showcases a near-perfect balance of tropical fruit, lemon curd, and gooseberry. I can’t find much in the way of faults here. Get it. A / $40
2021 San Felice Vigorello IGT – A lush Supertuscan made from pugnitello, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, and petit verdot, 2021’s release seems less austere and heavy than prior renditions, its tannins already a bit softened en route to an endgame that feels like it will be more fruit-forward than expected. Cherries pop brightly with a gentle underpinning of currants and spice, followed by ample graphite and a layer of oak. A little balsamic keeps the acidity high, though it never comes across as austere or overblown. Unlike last year’s vintage, this is ready to go now. A- / $60
2020 San Felice Campogiovanni Brunello di Montalcino DOCG – The 2020 expression of this iconic Brunello feels tight today, and perhaps on the thin side compared to prior releases. Aromas of rosemary and black pepper are pungent, but the densely pruny qualities of Campogiovannis gone by are absent here, replaced by a lean and initially nutty character that moves into notes of dried cherries, balsamic vinegar, and dark chocolate. That all sounds quite delightful, but the body just isn’t there this year to back it all up, with insufficient acidity. Anise and more chocolate make for fitful bedfellows on the finish, which eventually turns a bit beefy. Grippy tannins cling to the sides of the palate for what feels like ages as the wine fades out. It’s fine with a hearty meal but shows as underdeveloped on its own. B+ / $73
2020 San Felice Poggio Rosso Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG – This is the top tier Gran Selezione bottling of Poggio Rosso (stylized on the label as PoggioRosso), a Chianti Classico expression that fires on all cylinders from the very start. Crisp, tart cherry notes dominate, with undulating elements of turned earth, fresh green herbs, and a pinch of anise on the finish. Rhubarb-heavy bitterness gives the finish a significant grip, with a reprise of cherries on the fade-out. As iconic an example of Chianti Classico as you’re likely to find. A / $85
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