Chianti Classico DOCG 2005 vintage: See Chianti Classico DOCG.

2005 Growing season: ‘A vintage [2005] that would go down in history as a challenging one, with an overall cool season and abundant rains in August, as well as regular precipitation in September and early October. This caused for delay in ripening, which could only be offset by intensive canopy management and green harvesting. The wet season caused for heightened mould pressure, which quality conscious producers tried to counteract opening the canopy, as well as severe fruit selection. In many cases this meant that volume went down with as much as 30%. September showed some hot weather. Still, many wines would show green unripe tannins with sometimes cooked fruit flavours, the result of prolonging bunch hang time in the vineyard in an effort to achieve more balance in the grapes. However, it is certainly not a vintage to write off, and some very good Riservas were produced, the result of a severe selection, whereas others chose to not produce a Riserva at all and using the fruit to upgrade their straight Chianti Classico,’ (La Porta di Vertine 2007 vintage report from its website, 23 Dec 2013).

2005 Wine style: Lighter than usual wines. An average vintage, sandwiched between two exceptional ones in 2004 and 2006.