Chianti is among the most well established wine regions in the world. As a brand its recognizability is almost unparalleled, but it’s also a victim of its own success–too much wine sold with the name of this Tuscan region is forgettable. Today’s discovery is the exact opposite: Sean “Il Guercio” O’Callaghan is on a mission to prove that Sangiovese can make wines of soaring elegance and complexity, and compete with the world’s best. His Chianti Classico is one of the most memorable wines I’ve had this year. Not surprisingly it was born in Radda, an unofficial “Grand Cru” of Chianti villages, and also not surprisingly the vines are farmed with organic and biodynamic principles. We often compare good Chianti to Bourgogne Rouge, but what Sean is crafting is more akin to Chambolle-Musigny or top tier Barbaresco. If you want to experience the elegant apogée of Tuscan Sangiovese (and believe me, you do!) then this is the bottle for you.

First, let’s address the obvious: “Sean O’Callaghan” doesn’t sound exactly Tuscan. Indeed, he’s British–born in Sri Lanka to tea farmers–but he’s been living and working in Chianti for over three decades now. His journey to becoming a Sangiovese guru seems to be plucked from a Victorian novel in the late 1800s: he left the East Asian tea farm as a young man and returned to his ancestral home in England where he helped his uncle plant some vines before leaving to Germany to study wine at a university there. He then spent two years working for the top Nahe producer Schlossgut Diel before heading to Italy where he landed a job working for another Englishman at the highly acclaimed Riecine estate in Gaiole, Chianti. It was here that Sean’s love affair with Sangiovese began.

After the passing of Riecine’s founders, the property switched hands a few times and Sean took the opportunity to start his own label. By now he was fully immersed in the Tuscan wine community and was known throughout Chianti as “Il Guercio,” the one-eyed rascal. He made a few vintages with access to fruit from his friends and contacts, but he found a true home base when he met up with Austrian entrepreneur Karl Egger, who had recently purchased a gorgeous estate in Radda, that was already planted to about 30 hectares of vines, nestled among olive trees, forests, and streams. If Chianti Classico had such designations, the village of Radda (yes, the entire village, as in Champagne) would be classified as “Grand Cru.” Sean knew this was the spot for him to achieve his goal of producing world class Sangiovese.

Despite being entrenched in the culture of Tuscany, or maybe because of it, Sean is not a fan of the Chianti bureaucracy. Most of his wines are not DOCG, but he does make a single Chianti Classico, which is our knockout feature today. Like almost all of his wine this is 100% Sangiovese, farmed organically and biodynamically, and made in a doggedly “non-interventionist” method that makes Carleone a favorite in the natural wine crowds despite its rigorously classic expression. The fruit undergoes a long, slow fermentation process of 40-60 days in steel and cement tanks, and is then rested for 18 months in the same large tanks before being bottled without fining or filtration. It’s a fairly straightforward process, and the fact that the result is easily one of the most elegant and complex wines in Chianti is testament to the talents and vision of the “one-eyed rascal.”

Serve this soaring Sangiovese  on the cool side, around 55-60 degrees, after a quick decant. Given its aromatic complexity and elegance I would recommend a Burgundy stem (think Premier Cru Chambolle!) to unlock the full spectrum of deliciousness: Ripe, red cherries, crushed raspberries, candied orange, dried roses, sage, underbrush, porcini, and a hint of white pepper are followed by a silky, medium bodied palate and long, mineral laden finish. While this is clearly no ordinary Chianti, it is still a marvelous pairing for your favorite rich pasta dish, or serve with a Tuscan inspired braise like the recipe below. This is truly one of the most elevated expressions of Sangiovese out there, and yet it is still very reasonably priced, which is great because having a few extra bottles in the cellar would be a very smart move!