Torre a Cona Chianti Colli Fiorentini Badia a Corte Riserva

Torre a Cona Chianti Colli Fiorentini Badia a Corte Riserva is a 100% Sangiovese DOCG Riserva from Tuscany's Colli Fiorentini hills, bottled at 14% ABV in a 750ml format. The 2017 vintage earned the prestigious Tre Bicchieri distinction from Gambero Rosso, and critic Luca Gardini awarded a 94-point score in 2023 — placing this single-vineyard bottling among the top expressions from the Chianti Colli Fiorentini appellation.

Quick Facts: ABV: 14%  |  Origin: Chianti Colli Fiorentini DOCG, Tuscany, Italy  |  Riserva  |  Producer: Fattoria Torre a Cona (Conti Rossi di Montelera)

Production & Heritage

Fattoria Torre a Cona sits in the rolling hills southeast of Florence, owned by the Conti Rossi di Montelera family. The Badia a Corte bottling takes its name from the estate's oldest vineyard — a single hectare planted at 360 to 370 meters elevation, with vines ranging from 25 to 40 years old. This plot appears on an eighteenth-century estate map, underscoring its historical significance. Fermented using native yeasts to preserve site-specific character, the wine ages for two years in large 25-hectoliter Slavonian oak casks. The oversized cooperage allows slow, gentle oxidation without imparting heavy wood flavor, keeping the focus squarely on Sangiovese fruit and the vineyard's elevated terroir.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with earthy, slightly sanguine tones — damp soil, mushroom, and a flinty mineral edge. Wild berries and sour cherry emerge alongside rosehip, followed by subtle herbaceous notes of wild fennel and a blueberry-menthol lift that adds complexity.

Taste: The palate enters juicy and fresh, with dried and fresh cherry layered over orange jam-like depth. A pronounced salty-savory quality takes hold at mid-palate, joined by truffle-like umami and leafy herbal accents. Fine, well-integrated tannins provide structure without weight, and the acidity stays bright and driving throughout.

Finish: Long and persistent, with a cedary, mentholated aftertaste that lingers alongside small berry fruit. The saline thread returns on the close, leaving a clean, mineral impression that invites the next sip.

How to Drink Badia a Corte Riserva

Serve at 16–18°C (61–64°F) in a generous Burgundy-style glass. Decanting for 30 to 45 minutes helps open the earthy aromatics and soften the tannin structure, particularly in younger vintages. This is a food wine at heart — its acidity and savory depth make it a natural companion to Tuscan cuisine. Bistecca alla fiorentina benefits from the wine's firm tannins and cherry fruit. Wild boar ragù over pappardelle mirrors the earthy, gamey undertones. Aged pecorino cheese echoes the salty, savory finish and draws out the wine's mineral core.

Best For

• Gifting a Tuscan wine enthusiast seeking single-vineyard depth
• Pairing with a traditional Italian dinner featuring grilled meats or slow-cooked ragù
• Building a cellar with age-worthy Chianti Riservas from historic estates
• Exploring the Chianti Colli Fiorentini DOCG beyond mainstream Chianti Classico

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Badia a Corte Riserva taste like? It delivers juicy cherry and wild berry fruit layered with earthy truffle, mushroom, and a distinctive salty-savory character. Fine tannins and bright acidity keep the palate fresh, with a long mentholated and cedary finish.

How does Badia a Corte Riserva compare to Terre di Cino Riserva? Both are 100% Sangiovese single-vineyard Chianti Colli Fiorentini Riservas from Torre a Cona, but Badia a Corte comes from the estate's oldest and highest vineyard at 360–370 meters, which tends to produce a more mineral-driven, structured wine. Terre di Cino draws from a different parcel and typically shows a softer, more immediately approachable profile.

Is Badia a Corte Riserva good for cellaring? Yes — its firm tannin structure, high acidity, and two years of Slavonian oak aging give it a strong foundation for medium-term cellaring of five to ten years from vintage. The Tre Bicchieri-winning 2017 vintage demonstrates how the wine develops added complexity with bottle age.

Where is Badia a Corte Riserva made? It is produced at Fattoria Torre a Cona in the Chianti Colli Fiorentini DOCG, a sub-zone of Chianti in the hills southeast of Florence, Tuscany. The estate is owned by the Conti Rossi di Montelera family.

What foods pair well with Badia a Corte Riserva? Bistecca alla fiorentina complements the wine's tannic grip and cherry fruit. Wild boar ragù echoes its earthy, savory depth. Aged pecorino toscano draws out the salty mineral finish. Roasted lamb with rosemary works with the herbal aromatics. Grilled portobello mushrooms mirror the wine's forest-floor complexity.

What sizes does Badia a Corte Riserva come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle, which is the widely available format for this wine.

Is Badia a Corte Riserva worth the price? It positions as a premium single-vineyard Riserva within the Chianti Colli Fiorentini DOCG — a category that generally offers stronger value than neighboring Chianti Classico. A Tre Bicchieri distinction and 94-point critical score place it among top-tier wines in its appellation at its price tier.

Why Badia a Corte Riserva?

What separates this wine from the broader Chianti landscape is its specific origin: a single hectare of old vines at high elevation, documented on maps dating to the 1700s, making it the oldest vineyard on the Torre a Cona estate. Native yeast fermentation and extended aging in large-format Slavonian oak preserve the vineyard's voice rather than masking it with new wood. The result earned Tre Bicchieri from Gambero Rosso for the 2017 vintage and 94 points from Luca Gardini — recognition that confirms Badia a Corte as one of the Colli Fiorentini's most compelling single-vineyard expressions. For anyone interested in Sangiovese that speaks of place rather than winemaking technique, this Riserva delivers genuine terroir transparency.