Italy · Tuscany

Castellare di Castellina

Castellare di Castellina is a Chianti Classico estate in Castellina in Chianti, owned by journalist Paolo Panerai since 1979, who rescued a neglected property and developed it into a benchmark for Chianti Classico and indigenous Tuscan varieties. The estate is best known for I Sodi di San Niccolò, one of the appellation's most prestigious Super Tuscans — a blend of Sangioveto (Sangiovese) and Malvasia Nera, aged in small French oak barriques. I Sodi di San Niccolò leads at auction with 131 lots averaging $96 per bottle and the 2010 vintage most traded. The Chianti Classico averages $87 across 12 lots with the 1993 vintage among the most historically valued. Auction prices range from $22 to $800, with the upper end driven by older I Sodi vintages. The estate also pioneered the use of indigenous grape varieties including Colorino, Canaiolo, and Ciliegiolo, partly inspired by the research of Piero Antinori. The estate's vineyards at approximately 500 meters elevation in Castellina produce wines of notable freshness and aromatic definition compared to lower-altitude Sangiovese. Wine Advocate has scored I Sodi di San Niccolò 90–97 across multiple vintages.