Nittardi is one of my favorite estates in Castellina in Chianti thanks to the enormous attention on aesthetics practiced at this modern art-loving property. The hot-vintage 2017 Chianti Classico Riserva is sultry, velvety and deep. It shows a saturated color and dark berry characteristics with plum, black cherry, spice and leather. What stands out most in the Riserva is the rich and supple quality of the mouthfeel and the almost integrated tannins that are still tight. Nittardi has successfully harnessed the warm vintage to create a wine that should evolve nicely in the bottle. This is a good pairing to a traditional Sienese pici al buristo, the local pasta with blood-sausage sauce.