Walter begins a series on mature Italian wine with this exploration of the extent to which Chianti Classico is worth ageing. One of the perceived characteristics of fine wine is ageability or, rather, the capacity to evolve over time into a complex multilayered whole instead of merely surviving. I say perceived, because this description can be a potential minefield, not only because of notable exceptions, but also because of experience, availability and the image of a particular style of wine. In general Chianti Classico has not been widely considered to be a wine that repays prolonged cellaring, but this perception may be due...