Castello di Ama

Overview

Castello di Ama is one of the premier Chianti Classico estates, located in Gaiole in Chianti in the Lamole area. Known for elegant, well-structured wines with a modern sensibility — they use French oak and include Merlot in some blends — but with genuine soil character and age-worthiness. The estate produces a range from Chianti Classico to Gran Selezione single vineyards and the innovative “Haiku” Super Tuscan. Gilman has been consistently enthusiastic about their wines over multiple tastings.

Appellations

• Chianti Classico — Ama, Gaiole in Chianti; multiple bottlings
• Toscana IGT — Haiku (Super Tuscan)

Key Wines

Chianti Classico “San Lorenzo” Gran Selezione

Single vineyard; 80% Sangiovese / 13% Merlot / 7% Malvasia Nera; 22% new barriques in 2021; 13.5% abv. Their flagship single vineyard bottling.

• 2021: 94 (2035–2075) — “superb depth of fruit at the core with fine soil signature, ripe, beautifully-integrated tannins, lovely balance”; pure and focused

Chianti Classico “Montebuoni” Riserva

5% Merlot blended with Sangiovese; planted 1997; coming into prime.

• 2021: 93 (2025–2055+) — “so beautifully balanced it is already very easy to drink”; apogee in 10–15 years

Haiku (Super Tuscan)

50% Sangiovese / 25% Cabernet Franc / 25% Merlot; indigenous yeasts; malo in tank; 25% new oak for 1 year. Produced since 2016.

• 2021: 93 (2040–2100) — “beautifully refined”; one of Gilman’s favorite Super Tuscans; needs extended cellaring

Chardonnay “Al Poggio” (Toscana Bianco)

40% barrel-fermented (50% new, 50% one-wine); 60% tank; 13% abv.

• 2024: good young wine; 13% abv; pear, apple, chalky soil; 90-91 range implied

Style Notes

Modern-classical hybrid: French oak brings elegance and spice framing, but the wines are genuinely soil-driven and built for aging. The inclusion of Merlot in several blends sets Castello di Ama apart from strict Sangiovese producers, but Gilman doesn’t view this as a defect — rather, the Merlot adds mid-palate flesh without masking the Tuscan terroir character. The Haiku is Gilman’s current preferred Super Tuscan from this estate.

My Tastings

(none yet)

Sources

• sources/articles/VFTC/VFTC July-August 2025 #118.txt — Italian wines section (pages 111–130): San Lorenzo 2021 (94), Montebuoni Riserva 2021 (93), Haiku 2021 (93), Al Poggio 2024