Sangiovese

2014 was a very difficult vintage in Tuscany.  Still, this is a nice wine if not at the level of better vintages.  Ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, slight dry tea and slight mushrooms.  On the palate, the cherries come thru if a bit diluted.  So do the mushrooms.  Not as much acidity as other vintage.  Still, it will work well with pizza or Italian dishes.  Not a bad choice off the menu at a local Italian eatery.  

Pop and pour, this took a few minutes to open and then drank well.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, wet green tea, spice and slight char.  Full bodied.  A nice back bone of acidity.  Lots of cherry fruit layered with forest floor notes and a bit of anise.  Long finish.  This worked great with a pasta dish.  It also drank well on its own.  It won't get better but should be great drinking for the next ten to twelve years.  

Some of the best values in the wine world are from Chianti.  Figure out the best wineries, and buy the second or third best wines.  Of course, the top wines are great too, but they can be pricey.  This wine can be found for under $30 and it is excellent.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is nice with cherries, black cherries, tea leaves/tobacco and slight cedar.  On the palate, this has a lovely texture.  Nice acidity.  Black cherry fruit of char and forest floor.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well with light tannins.  It will continue for ten years, so no hurry.  A great match

This is, perhaps, the top producer of Vino Nobile.  It is made in the Area of Montepulciano in Tuscany from the Sangiovese grape and not be be confused with Montepulciano d'Abruzzo which is made from the Montepulciano grape.  This is mature and at peak.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, wet lea leaves, slight sandalwood and dust.  On the palate, this has fresh cherries, slightly sour cherries, and a slightly oxidized note.  Nice level of complexity.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This is drinking at its best and should be consumed in the next three or so years but it certainly wil

Brilliant showing for this wine.  What a great value.  Everyone in the room commented on how good this was.  Perhaps a bit modern and fruit forward for a "traditional" Chianti, but it is delicious and affordable.  Purple in color with ruby swirls.  The nose has black cherries, slight chocolate, dust and slight loose tea.  On the palate, the chocolate and black cherries dominate at this point.  Medium tannins.  Enough acidity to counter the fruit.  Deep.  It unwinds in the glass.  Good finish.  This is delicious on its own and will work well with burgers or pizza.  It should develop for the

Sadly, this was corked.  

This bottle was a gift from my wife's cousin.  A very nice gift indeed.  This is reasonably priced, very enjoyable, and a winery that I don't recall trying before.  Ruby in color.  The nose is nice with cherries, green tobacco, and tea leaves.  On the palate, this has fresh cherry fruit with underlying earl grey tea and just a bit of anise.  Nice texture.  Great acidity.  This wine has a nice energy and a certainly elegance to it that is not often found by me in Chianti.  Light tannins.  It is very food friendly and will go with almost anything but light seafood.  It should be good for the

This is such an underrated bottle of wine.  It gets so easy to dismiss Chianti and especially those that are not the top bottlings of good producers.  This is a really good bottle of wine and its available for under $20.  Ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, tea leaves, char and slight anise.  On the palate, this is medium bodied with light tannins.  A nice backbone of acidity.  Flavors of cherries with some underlying forest floor.  Good finish.  This should be good for the next ten years.  It went great with pasta and will work with most foods.  A great pizza wine.  

This is one of my favorite Chianti's.  Normally, I let the Rancia's rest a bit while I drink the "lesser" Felsina wines.  But, I had been hearing such great things about this wine, that I wanted to try one young.  Good move.  While this should improve, this was wonderful.  One of the top Chianti's I have ever had.  And, while this is not inexpensive for Chianti, it is for a wine of this quality.  Deep ruby in color, a bit lighter at the rim.  The nose has cherries, black cherries, some anise, and some tea leaves.  On the palate, this has juicy acidity.  Big cherry fruit over a forest floor

Chianti doesn't get enough credit.  The better producers consistently make wines that are great values especially in the great vintages.  And, 2016 is a great vintage.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has nice cherries, with wet tea leaves and dust.  On the palate, nice cherry fruit layered with some forest floor qualities.  Great acidity.  Long finish.  This is a perfect wine to pair with pizza or pasta.  It should be drunk in the next five to seven years, but it will probably still make good drinking in ten years.  A great value at around $10!