Tuscany

• Brunello di Montalcino
• Chianti

Ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is dusty with some cherries.  Some wet tea leaves come out with air.  On the palate, cherries and black cherries over some damp forest floor.  Good balance.  More "traditional" in style.  This should improve with some short terms ageing.  Drink over the next ten to twelve years.  This would work well with chicken liver pâté (or is that chopped liver).  

Ruby in color with dark swirls.  Mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is dusty with light cherries and some spice.  On the palate, nice cherry fruit.  A bit hollow on the mid-palate but finishes strong.  This is drinking well but will undoubtedly improve a bit with cellaring.  Drink over the next ten years.  It will work well with one of those delcious Tuscan soups such as Acquacotta.

Always a favorite.  Ruby/brown in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is very tight and even with a couple hours of air, it remained so.  Some forest floor and hint of cherries and spice.  Much more open on the palate.  Big textural wine.  Lots of cherries and black cherries.  Some underlying tea.  Good acidity.  Moderate finish.  Stylistically, this is what I think of when I think of Brunello.  It might still improve so holding for a couple years is a good idea and drink over the next seven to ten after that.  This would work well with pasta such as potato tortelli.

Ruby in color with some browning, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is dusty with black cherries.  Some tea leaves.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, kirsch and fresh cherries.  Good acidity.  This is drinking well now and probably should be consumed in the next five to seven years.  A nice wine with pizza or pasta.  

This had been open for two days when I tried a glass but was still showing well.  Ruby in color with slight browning, but clear and bright.  The nose had cherries and some brown sugar.  It was, however, drinking much better on the palate.  Medium tasnnins.  Therre is a cherry cough drop quality which lends a seriousness to the wine but also tastes good, a bit or kirsch and spice.  Clean.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  After two days open it seems like it had opened and was just starting to have too much air.  Probably best to wait a few years and then drink over the following ten to twelve. 

One of my evil guilty pleasures is to put this on the table with non wine geeks and see if they drink it.  Usually, they don't, but the ones who do are impressed.  Some will just see that it is a Chianti and think it can't be any good.  This is possibly the best that Chianti offers and certainly one of the top wines that Italy offers.  Although expensive, given that, it is priced fairly.  At age 10, this is still young and needs more air though with a few hours, it drank well.  Deep garnet with purple streaks, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black cherries, cherries, black

What a great vintage 2016 ha turned out to be for Chianti in general and this one in particular.  Not the cheapest Chianti, but this is outstanding.  Deep ruby/purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cherries, black cherries, sandalwood and tea leaves.  Medium bodied.  Great balance.  Lovely acidity.  Spry.  On the palate, lots of lush black cherry fruit with underlying forest floor.  Clean.  Deep.  Long finish.  This will continue to mature for another five to eight years and drink well for a decade after that.  A nice match for pasts of all kinds.  

This showed well despite its youthfulness but its best days are certainly ahead.  A blend of 85 % Cabernet Sauvignon 15 % Cabernet Franc.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, cedar, and spice.  On the palate, plenty of cassis fruit.  Very firm tannins.  Lots of depth but its hard to see the bottom.  Tight but does show a lot of fruit with a very nice texture.  It is delicious today but would recommend 8 hours of air if opening.  This should continue to mature and improve over the next decade or more and drink well for ten to fifteen more after that.  Right now it

There are so many truly great values in 2015/2016 Chiant's that this one was a bit disappointing.  That is a bit harsh, as this is an excellent wine.  But for the price and pedigree, more was expected (which is perhaps a bit unfair).  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, slight coffee and a bit of forest floor.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, ripe fruit.  Not the level of acidity that I come to expect in chianti, but some.  Light tannins.  Cherry fruit with underlying dust and earthiness.  Good finish.  Perhaps this is a bit shut down at this p

Always an outstanding wine and a great value and that is true in this challenging vintage.  It is a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black currants, black cherries, slight chocolate and char.  Medium to full bodied.  A nice streak of acidity keeps it lively.  The fruit carries thru to the palate.  Medium tannins.  Deep if tight right now.  Good finish.  This needs a few more years to really open up (or a few hours decant) and should drink well for ten to twelve after t