Sangiovese

This is a nice solid Chianti for a very nice price.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose is dusty with cherries, anise and tea leaves.  Light tannins.  On the palate, sour cherries over slight forest floor.  Good finish.  This is very food friendly with excellent acidity.  Will go great with pasta, pizza and fowl dishes.  It should probably be drunk in the next few years but will probably be drinkable for five to seven if not at peak.  

This is a blend of 65% Sangiovese, 15% Sagrantino, and 20% Merlot  from Umbria in Italy.  It is an excellent value that is just starting to hit its drinking window.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has black cherries, plums, a bit of dry earth and char.  On the palate, this mostly about cherries with a bit of chocolate.  Medium bodied with good acidity, this is not a big wine but there is plenty of fruit.  It unwinds in the glass and shows moderated depth and complexity.  Good finish.  This is about or close to peak but should has another ten years at this level.  It will work well with pasta

 This is the entry level wine from this producer of Sassicaia.  It is 70 % Cabernet Sauvignon and 30 % Sangiovese.  And, from a great vintage, this wine showed very well.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has black cherries, cherries, sandalwood and light strawberries.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, the cherries and strawberries are there.  No tannins.  Bright acidity.  A delicious wine but probably needs to be consumed in the  first few years.  It drinks great on its own but will work with lighter foods or pizza and pasta.  

A perennial favorite in my household going back to the days when this was labeled as Chianti.  A very nice value and a wine that will age for a few years anyway.  Purple in color, slightly opaque and bright.  The nose is dusty, slightly smoky, with nice cherry fruit.  On the palate, this has nice layering.  Not too deep or complex but what is there is developed.  It certainly seems as though there are some Bordeaux varietals in this wine, but I am unsure of the blend.  It drinks more like a Bordeaux of similar price.  The fruit is riper though.  This may still have some upside but should be

A lot of wine sales people say to buy Rosso's in lesser vintages because they contain declassified Brunello.  I have never found that to be a successful strategy.  Buy Rosso's in good vintages and both wines are better.  2016 is a very good vintage.  This is one more example.  Ruby/purple in color.  The nose is warm with dusty cherries, plums, soy and tea.  On the palate, medium tannins and a nice back bone of acidity.  Ripe cherry fruit with some depth and an underlying tea/tobacco note.  Good finish.  This wine might get better but in any event, it is drinking well now and should continue

Another very nice Chianti carrying the Gran Selezione designation which came about in 2015 and is the highest designation of quality in Chianti.  Of course, not all wines carrying this designation are created equally.  This is purple in color with some ruby swirls.  The nose is interesting with red apples and sour cherries also some balsamic vinegar and slight tea leaves.  On the palate, this still has medium tannins.  Cherry and sour cherry fruit with a bit of damp forest floor.  Slight port like notes of sweet alcohol on the finish but not enough to be an issue.  Overall, a very tasty Chi

Along with Fontodi, my two favorite producers in Chianti.  For under $20, this is a great value.  Deep garnet in color.  The nose is dusty with high toned cherries.  Perhaps a slight touch of volatile acidity but for me, it lifted the aromatics and was not a problem.  On the palate, cherries, sour cherries and light tannins wrapped around forest floor notes.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This will probably not improve but it is drinking quite well and should hold at this point for at least a decade.  It will go great with Tuscan foods so think pastas but also pizza.  

From one of the best producers of Chianti and in Tuscany, this wine was showing great.  It kept improving all night long.  Ruby/purple in color.  The nose has dusty cherries with some tea leaves and a bit of spice.  On the palate, slight tannins.  Lots of concentrated cherry fruit.  Medium bodied.  Very nice acidity.  Almost a smoked cherry flavor on the palate which is very interesting along with fresh cherries and a bit of tea.  Good acidity.  This wine should continue to improve for a few years and be good for another ten to twenty after that depending on your tastes.  It is very food fr

This is a very nice Sangiovese from Tuscany and from a good vintage.  Garnet in color.  The nose is dusty with cherries and a bit of soy.  On the palate, this has medium tannins.  Nice sour cherry fruit over a bit of forest floor.  Slight complexity, this should continue to develop a bit more.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  It is ripe and has an almost sweet quality about it but not.  This will work with a wide variety of food.  Obviously pasta and pizza are go to dishes.  This might get a bit better but should last for another five to seven years if well stored.  

This is the best that Vino Nobile di Montepulciano has to offer.  At age 15, it is still young and really needed some air time to open up.  Better than most Chianti's and many Brunellos.  Purple in color with ruby swirls.  The nose is great with cherries, tea leaves and spice.  On the palate, a great backbone of acidity.  Lots of juicy cherry fruit layered tightly with forest floor notes.  Medium tannins.  Long finish.  This really needs some food to soothe both the tannins and the acidity.  Pasta or Pizza would be great but it can stand up to meat dishes as well.