Tuscany

• Brunello di Montalcino
• Chianti

This is not your regular Chianti.  Deep garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is great with cherries, slight anise, slight tea leaves and spice.  Full bodied.  Great backbone of acidity.  On the palate, lots of bright cherries with some anise.  Long finish.  Deep and complex.  Light tannins.  Drinking great now and will continue for another ten to fifteen years.  This works great with food, pasta with a tomato sauces is a classic choice.  

Purchased at the winery.  Garnet in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, tea leaves, and coffee.  Full bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, bright cherry fruit.  Plenty of depth.  Layered.  Underlying tobacco/forest floor notes.  Long finish.  This is nice on its own but better with food.  A big plate of pasta is the obvious choice.  Drink over the next five to eight years.  

Located in Southern Tuscany, Val Delle Rose is one of the largest wineries in the region. Their 2018 Aurelio, something of a flagship wine, offers superb quality fruit - muted pomegranate, rhubarb, black cherry, blackberry, along with a judicious use of oak that brings out cedar notes. There are vague back notes of dusty cocoa. This is a nicely balanced wine that combines all the necessary elements of oak, fruit, tannin and acidity, making for a wine that would be very complementary for any number of foods.

Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, dried cherries, dried tea leaves, and some spice.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is a bit tired and past prime but still with something to offer.  Cherries, dried cherries aand forest floor notes along with some old leather.  Moderate finish.  This is better with food at this point.  It will work well with a nice plate of pasta.  Drink up.  

Perhaps the top Chianti available, this wine is always good especially from such a great vintage as 2016.  Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, hay, anise and slight forest floor.  Medium to full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, bold cherries, slight sour cherries, char and slight tea leaves.  Great acidity.  Long finish.  This is drinking well but still on the young side.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  Nice on its own but really begs for food.  Pasta with bolognaise sauce is perfect.

This is a blend of Sangiovese, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from Tuscany.  Garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, dust, black cherries and sandalwood. Medium bodied.  Strong acidity.  On the palate, tart cherries and some cherries.  moderate finish.  This wine really needs food.  Some simple pasta or pizza would work.  Drink over the next few years.

Classic Brunello from a stellar vintage.  Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose opens quickly showing cherries, cranberries, sandalwood, and slight tea leaves.  full bodied.  Strong backbone of acidity.  On the palate, cherries with slight black cherries.  Firm tannins.

This is a big, modern-styled Brunello that is absolutely delicious.  Purple in color with some ruby swirls, clear and bright.  The nose is powerful with black cherries, baking spices, cedar and slight tea leaves.  Full bodied.  Nice acidity.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, black cherry fruit with some spice/oak.  Wonderful texture.  Long finish.  This is not yet at peak but close.  As the oak and tannins integrate, this may yet improve even more.  That said, no harm drinking now.  It drinks well on its own and will work well with bigger foods.  Osso Buco would be a great choice.  

Ruby to deep ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, tea leaves, some baking spice and roasted herbs.  Great texture; juicy but plush.  Full bodied.  On the palate, cherries, black cherries over spice and charred herbs.  Good acidity.  Complex and deep.  Long finish.  This seems to be just on the younger side of peak.  Very tasty.  It should drink well for the next twelve to fifteen years.  A nice match with Lamb Ragout.  

This is a big, modern styled Brunello.  It is also outstanding.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, forest floor, sandalwood and chocolate.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, plenty of oak coming off as spice and chocolate but plenty of cherry and black cherry fruit.  This bottle is still youthful but getting close to maturity.  Depth.  Delicious.  Nice finish.  This drink great on its own and need some heavier food right now.  Short ribs with Polenta seems like it would work well.  Drink over the next ten to twelve years.