Mannucci Droandi, Chianti Colli Aretini

Chianti can sometimes disappear under a mountain of predictable labels and vaguely Renaissance-looking branding. Mannucci Droandi feel much more rooted in actual Tuscany than that. Traditional, family-run and quietly confident without needing to shout about it.

Based in Montevarchi in the Valdarno area between Florence and Arezzo, the estate has been producing wine since the 1920s, focusing heavily on Sangiovese and the surrounding Tuscan landscape. The wines lean classical rather than modern international. Less glossy oak and extraction, more freshness, acidity and savoury detail.

Their Chianti bottlings tend to show sour cherry, dried herbs, tobacco and earthy spice with that lovely dusty tannin Sangiovese develops when handled properly. The higher-end wines gain more depth and structure, but usually without losing drinkability underneath. There’s always a sense these wines belong beside food rather than sitting untouched in a collector’s cabinet.

Valdarno itself often gets overlooked compared to more famous Tuscan regions, though that’s partly what makes it interesting. Rolling hills, mixed agriculture and slightly less tourism pressure means plenty of producers still make wine in a fairly grounded, traditional way.

These are the sort of bottles that remind you Chianti became globally popular for good reason before international trends complicated everything.