You know that case of Italian wines from the WSJ Wine club that I panic-bought during a tariff scare? No? Well, in April 2025 I ordered a case of cheapo Italian wines and I’m still working my way through them.
Sadly, I haven’t found any gems in that box yet. But I do reach for them when I’d like to have a little splash of wine with dinner and I’m not feeling too picky. That was the case last night when I opened up a bottle of 2023 Collezione di Paolo Chianti.
But first: It’s time to play label detective because WSJ’s wine-club shenanigans are out in full force with this bottle.
There’s a pattern to their marketing strategy. Typically, they obfuscate the producers of their club-exclusive bottles. WSJ Wine also likes to drop a lot of signaling terms to make the wines sound more premium than they really are.
The producer on the front label is one “R.M. & C.” of Rufina, Italy. All signs indicate that it’s Renzo Masi, founder of Florence’s Fattoria di Basciano estate. And the “Paolo” in the wine’s name would be his son, winemaker Paolo Masi.
R.M. & C.’s business address is listed as the prestigious Chianti sub-region of Rufina, but this doesn’t appear to be an estate wine, nor is it bottled under the Chianti Rufina DOCG appellation. The back label tells us it’s “classic Chianti.” But (surprise, surprise) it’s not a Chianti Classico.
I do feel that WSJ takes advantage of confusion around wine labeling laws to oversell their bulk juice. It’s a little annoying–but we won’t fault the wine for that.
Okay, time to pour. It’s medium ruby in color with a purple tint. Aromas of cherry and red plum, with a pronounced balsamic note and distinctive violet florals. Some cinnamon and sage leaf, too. I don’t notice any oak. The violet perfume is the best thing about this wine, rising delicately out of the glass and crowning its fresh cherry fruit.
It’s medium in body and acidity, with simple flavors of cranberry and red cherry. Alcohol is moderate–wimpy, even–at 13%. All the dry texture comes from the tannins, which are quite high but dissipate quickly, leaving a bitter streak on the palate while they beg for cheese.
In other words, this is a pretty average Chianti without a lot of persistence or depth. It served its purpose at the table but I wouldn’t get it again.
Dinner was a workday slow-cooker stew made from eye of round, crimini mushrooms, and vegetables, which I gobbled up with crusty bread. Humble food and humble wine paired up nicely, proving once again that Chianti and tomato-y braises are besties forever.
Bottle: Collezione di Paolo Chianti DOCG (2023) – Tuscany, Italy
Variety: Sangiovese (WSJ just tells us that it’s Sangiovese…but it looks and tastes like there’s something purple–Syrah?–in the mix, too.)
ABV: 13%
Suggested retail: $18.99
My rating: 7.4 (out of 10)
Review disclosure: I was not compensated or provided any free products for this review. Opinions expressed on The Wine Fairy blog are entirely my own.
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