Reviews
Savory and expressive, showing dried orange peel, cherries and hints of rosemary. Medium-bodied with chalky tannins and bright acidity providing shape and energy. Juicy and fruit-driven. Drink now.
Tasted in a vertical setting of 2015 through 2020, the 2020 Thick Skinned is 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Malbec and only 1% Petit Verdot. Still a baby and set to be released at the end of 2024, it’s still incredibly tight and youthful but has good bones. Firm, bold, spicy and juicy, it’s like a puppy with big floppy ears and paws that will undoubtedly grow into its size. With plenty of hedonistic, juicy dark red fruit flavors and oak essences, this will be a knockout for years to come. Your patience will be rewarded.
Tasted in a vertical setting of 2015 through 2020, the 2019 Thick Skinned is over half Cabernet Sauvignon with a quarter Malbec and 15% Petit Verdot. The 2019 has some similarities with the 2018, yet it is still firm and tannic, offering a dusty and rustic nose that needs some time to fill its shoes. Full-bodied, spicy and fresh, the Cabernet blend should find its stride in about two years. Until then, it will have plenty of time to hit its cadence.
Sliced apples, green pears and white peaches on the nose. Medium-bodied with moderate acidity. Fresh and well-rounded, with a caressing texture and a delicious finish. Drink now. Screw cap.
A juicy, succulent and vivid red with sour cherries, strawberries and sweet spices on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins. Juicy core of delicious red fruit with a vivid finish. Drink now.
Raspberry, cherry, currant and thyme flavors align with the succulent profile in this vivid red. Iron and tobacco notes add detail as this builds to the long, resonant finish, where dusty tannins reign. Sangiovese, Canaiolo Nero and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2028. —B.S.
Tasted in a vertical setting of 2015 through 2020, the 2018 Thick Skinned is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with36% Malbec and 6% Petit Verdot. The nose is bigger, plummier and juicier, with a bolder frame that is slightly out of step with the rest of the vertical and marked with amore generous dollop of oak. Full-bodied, the wine is juicy, generously layered and robust and will need another year in the bottle but will have no problems reaching its 20th birthday.
Year's Best for $20 or Less
Ranked #2 Top Values of 2021
Pure flavors of strawberry and cherry are the hallmarks of this expressive Chianti Classico, with earth, wild herb and tobacco accents adding depth as this firms up on the lingering finish. Sangiovese, Canaiolo Nero and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Potent and dense, with sturdy blackberry, orange zest and dark chocolate accents that finish with mild tannic grip. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot
| Review product name | Reviewer | Rating | Review text | Date posted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Banfi Chianti Classico DOCG | James Suckling | 90 pts |
Savory and expressive, showing dried orange peel, cherries and hints of rosemary. Medium-bodied with chalky tannins and bright acidity providing shape and energy. Juicy and fruit-driven. Drink now. |
July 20, 2026 |
| 2019 Thick Skinned Red Mountain | Wine Enthusiast | 91 pts | August 11, 2025 | |
| 2020 Thick Skinned Red Mountain | Wine Advocate | 93 pts |
Tasted in a vertical setting of 2015 through 2020, the 2020 Thick Skinned is 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Malbec and only 1% Petit Verdot. Still a baby and set to be released at the end of 2024, it’s still incredibly tight and youthful but has good bones. Firm, bold, spicy and juicy, it’s like a puppy with big floppy ears and paws that will undoubtedly grow into its size. With plenty of hedonistic, juicy dark red fruit flavors and oak essences, this will be a knockout for years to come. Your patience will be rewarded. |
December 11, 2024 |
| 2019 Thick Skinned Red Mountain | Wine Advocate | 93+ |
Tasted in a vertical setting of 2015 through 2020, the 2019 Thick Skinned is over half Cabernet Sauvignon with a quarter Malbec and 15% Petit Verdot. The 2019 has some similarities with the 2018, yet it is still firm and tannic, offering a dusty and rustic nose that needs some time to fill its shoes. Full-bodied, spicy and fresh, the Cabernet blend should find its stride in about two years. Until then, it will have plenty of time to hit its cadence. |
December 11, 2024 |
| 2022 Rainstorm Pinot Gris | James Suckling | 90 pts |
Sliced apples, green pears and white peaches on the nose. Medium-bodied with moderate acidity. Fresh and well-rounded, with a caressing texture and a delicious finish. Drink now. Screw cap. |
August 9, 2024 |
| 2022 Banfi Chianti Classico DOCG | James Suckling | 90 pts |
A juicy, succulent and vivid red with sour cherries, strawberries and sweet spices on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins. Juicy core of delicious red fruit with a vivid finish. Drink now. |
August 8, 2024 |
| 2022 Banfi Chianti Classico DOCG | Wine Spectator | 90 pts |
Raspberry, cherry, currant and thyme flavors align with the succulent profile in this vivid red. Iron and tobacco notes add detail as this builds to the long, resonant finish, where dusty tannins reign. Sangiovese, Canaiolo Nero and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2028. —B.S. |
July 24, 2024 |
| 2022 Banfi Chianti Classico DOCG | Wine Enthusiast | 90 Best Buy | June 17, 2024 | |
| 2021 Banfi Chianti Classico DOCG | Wine Enthusiast | Best Buy | June 17, 2024 | |
| 2018 Thick Skinned Red Mountain | Wine Advocate | 92 pts |
Tasted in a vertical setting of 2015 through 2020, the 2018 Thick Skinned is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with36% Malbec and 6% Petit Verdot. The nose is bigger, plummier and juicier, with a bolder frame that is slightly out of step with the rest of the vertical and marked with amore generous dollop of oak. Full-bodied, the wine is juicy, generously layered and robust and will need another year in the bottle but will have no problems reaching its 20th birthday. |
April 1, 2024 |
| 2017 Thick Skinned Red Mountain | Wine Advocate | 94 pts | April 1, 2024 | |
| 2016 Thick Skinned Red Mountain | Wine Advocate | 92 pts | April 1, 2024 | |
| 2015 Thick Skinned Red Mountain92 | Wine Advocate | 92 pts | April 1, 2024 | |
| 2021 Rainstorm Pinot Gris | Wine & Spirits Magazine | 90 pts |
Year's Best for $20 or Less |
September 30, 2022 |
| 2019 Chianti Classico DOCG | Wine Spectator | 91 pts |
Ranked #2 Top Values of 2021 Pure flavors of strawberry and cherry are the hallmarks of this expressive Chianti Classico, with earth, wild herb and tobacco accents adding depth as this firms up on the lingering finish. Sangiovese, Canaiolo Nero and Cabernet Sauvignon. |
August 11, 2021 |
| 2016 Thick Skinned Red Mountain | Wine Spectator | 90 pts |
Potent and dense, with sturdy blackberry, orange zest and dark chocolate accents that finish with mild tannic grip. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot |
August 18, 2020 |