Chianti Classico DOCG 2013 vintage: See Chianti Classico DOCG.

In a nutshell: ‘Cool, wet spring, warm late July, August; then mild; rain late September, early October’ (Nesto & Savino, 2016, p.189). Underrated wines, brightly coloured and firm fruited thanks in part to cool harvest nights. Drink now-2025. 

Growing season: 2013 was ‘late compared to the last few years in the Gallo Nero [Chianti Classico] terroir. 2013 recorded high rainfall in the first half of the year with a tendency to temperatures that often stabilized below the averages of the reference periods: to a real winter, which this year often brought to Chianti temperatures close to zero were followed by a spring that was slow to reverse a purely winter trend, causing late flowering. The heat that really arrived around mid-July accelerated the ripening processes of the grapes, which continued with regularity during a summer with the typical temperatures of the season and a perfect September that accentuated the thermal excursions already recorded in the summer, and allowed a decidedly balanced ripening of the grapes. 2013 [was] born of a season like those of a few years ago. The first examples of Sangiovese [showed] a good sugar level and with the right acidity’ (Source: Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico). 

‘A real winter, temperatures near zero. High rainfall during the first three months of the year. Temperatures often below the seasonal average,’ (Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico). Wet early spring. Late flowering,’ (Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico). Flowering was later than the average by around a fortnight (early April). Wet weather in May. The vines were over 20 days behind the norm. Fortuitously, from mid- to late July the weather turned hot. Regular summer seasonal temperatures. Hastened ripening. Perfect September: fine, with usefully cool nights. ‘Very balanced ripening of the grapes,’ (Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico). This allowed staggered picking for those with cool nerves. Later than usual harvest, into early October. Wines with good levels of sugar, colour and acidity. 

‘Above average. Excellent polyphenol maturity levels. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentations started unexpectedly quickly, and were regular,’ (Source: Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico). 

The conditions, which were cooler than usual, meant wines were ‘not the most powerful, but they have real, vibrant, Sangiovese grip,’ says Richard Baudains (2016, p.59).

2013 Production: 25.8 million hl (Source: Federdoc as reported by I Numeri del Vino). 258,000hl (Source: Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico). 34 million bottles,’ (Susan Hulme MW, Decanter May 2018, p.91).

2013 Wine quality; ‘Good sugar and acidity levels. Above the average. Excellent polyphenol maturity levels. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentations started unexpectedly quickly, and were regular (Source: Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico).  2013 was ‘a wonderful white wine vintage: generally cold (and somewhat rainy) and characterized by a very long growing season. The wines have uncanny acid lift, flavor and depth. The reds I have tasted from cask so far also seem quite good, if in a leaner, more refined style,’ (Ian D’Agata, Vinous, Sept 2014). ‘Classic: supremely harmonious and elegant,’ (Susan Hulme MW, Decanter May 2018, p.91).

‘The cooler than usual conditions made for ‘not the most powerful wines, but they have real, vibrant, Sangiovese grip,’ says Richard Baudains (2016, p.59).