Chianti?

[yclim]

My friend encouraged me to try Chianti.

I went to take a look and would like to ask for opinions for the following wines:

(1) Banfi Riserva '96 Chianti Classico
(2) Ruffino Riserva Duchale '97 Classico
(3) Peppoli '98 Classico

Any recommendations for good CHianti winery? What does 'Riserva' and 'Duchale' mean?

[Innkeeper]

These are first line Chiantis, and should all be rewarding. The next line up as with other wines will cost half again as much. If you can find or afford those try them. Riserva in Italy, to the best of my knowledge, means no more than it means in the rest of the world. As with New World wines, it has no legal meaning, but is a better version of a wineries output for a given year, released a year or two later. Don't know what Duchale means.

[fangi]

Riserva generally denotes prolonged ageing of the wines. I think in chile this is required by law for certain wines, i dunno for italy.

Duchale--well, i'm not entirely sure but i'm pretty much done with work today, so i did a little searching on the computer and decided that it's one of two things:
1. of, or pertaining to, a duke (palazzo duchale)(duke's palace?)

2. it's somebody's name (michel duchale); or the name of something.

anyway, even if these are both wrong guesses, i hope you're amused by them.

enjoy your chianti,

brett