Pèppoli Chianti Classico, Antinori 2024 75cl

Pèppoli is Antinori's answer to a question every Chianti lover eventually asks: what does the estate taste like before the serious money comes out? The 2024 is Sangiovese with a small hand of Merlot and Syrah, grown on the Pèppoli estate inside the Classico zone, and it drinks like a warm invitation.

Antinori have been making wine in Tuscany for more than six centuries, which tends to breed confidence rather than fuss. Pèppoli sits in the Chianti Classico appellation, the historic heartland between Florence and Siena, and it is built to show the friendly face of Sangiovese rather than its austere one. A short spell in oak rounds the edges without burying the fruit.

Expect bright morello cherry and ripe plum, a scatter of violet, and that savoury tomato-leaf edge that tells you this is genuine Chianti. The tannins are supple, the acidity keeps everything lively, and the finish carries a gentle note of sweet spice from the wood. Medium-bodied, easy to like, honest about what it is.

This is a weeknight red that punches above £22 — the sort of bottle you open without ceremony on a Tuesday and finish without regret. No need to cellar it; drink it over the next two or three years while the fruit is singing.

How to Serve

Serve at 16–18°C in a medium bowl glass. A short 20-minute decant helps the young 2024 loosen up, though it is by no means essential.

Where to Drink It

Padella, Borough — the wild boar pappardelle was made for a glass of this. Trullo, Islington — for the Tuscan-leaning menu. Bocca di Lupo, Soho — regional Italian cooking that flatters everyday Chianti.

Food Pairings

Made for a bowl of ragù or a bubbling lasagne. The acidity also cuts beautifully through a Margherita pizza fresh from the oven.