Tag Archives: sangiovese

Uggiano Roccialta Chianti Riserva DOCG 2015, Tuscany, Italy

22 Tuesday Oct 2019

Posted by in Wine

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , ,


I have really started to enjoy Sangiovese lately and seek out different variants.  This Chianti weighs in at 13.5% alcohol and is medium purple with little opacity.  Kinda what I expect from this varietal as well as Pinot.  On the nose it is fresh with strawberries, cedar plank, a green capsicum component and garigue.  The palate is refreshing with red fruits, crunchy tannins and a touch of wood.  The strawberry I initially sensed gives way to red cherry and currants.  There’s a rhubarb component on the mid palate that marries well with the acidity and tannins.  The finish is lightweight but decent in length and continues the red fruit theme very nicely.  The tannins slowly fade after leaving my gums rather dry.  It’s a young wine which is drinking nicely and will cellar for another 10 years minimum.  Drink till 2029 with eggplant parmigiana, beef stew or slow cooked chicken cacciatore.  90 points from me make this $17 wine a 4 star effort. Salut….

I Giusti & Zanza Rosso Vigna Vecchia Toscana IGT 2015, Tuscany, Italy

18 Friday Oct 2019

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


It’s quite bright and fresh looking in the glass with a deep garnet shade.  On the nose – rhubarb crumble, cherry and chocolate dust.  On the palate it is refreshing, tart and brimming with red fruits.  There’s a hint of balsamic as well as coconut on the initial.  The mid palate gives me some woody notes alongside the red currants and cherry.  The tartness gets a little spiky and herbaceous on the finish, a little off-putting.  Overall this is a tasty wine that has some structure to last a few years in cellar but is drinking nicely now.  I’m gonna bury the others I have as I believe they will improve vastly with a bit of age.  Made from Organic grapes and costing $50 makes it a wee bit pricy.  Pair it with Fettucine or pot roast, perhaps Osso Bucco..  Drink till 2035.  90 points from me (the pros went as high as 95!) and 3 stars.  Salut….

Tenimenti Capanne Ricci Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012, Tuscany, Italy

09 Tuesday Jul 2019

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Pretty dark red and semi opaque with big legs showing in the glass.  On the nose it’s an intriguing blend of strawberry syrup, rooibos tea and raspberry.  On the palate it gives me red fruits including cherry, strawberry and rhubarb alongside some pretty fresh tannins.  The grip of which starts at the onset and builds into a mighty teeth- coating crescendo at the finish.  Wow…. this is a wine packed with flavor, structure and is balanced to boot.  Very young, it needs cellaring or a run through the Venturi.  I’m gonna cellar the three other bottles I have, thinking there will be some nice evolution in addition to a softening of the tannins.  For now, 92 points and 5 stars for the $30 price point.  Pair this Sangiovese up with some rich stews, hearty pasta or a thick Ribeye. Drink from 2022-2032.  Salut….

Castello di Gabbiano Chianti Classico DOCG 2016, Tuscany, Italy

07 Sunday Jul 2019

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Semi opaque yet intriguingly purple in the glass.  On the nose I’m getting sour cherry kirsch, strawberries and rooibos tea.  On the palate it is light, tart and tasty- just what I was expecting.  The opening notes are much the same…. cherry juice, strawberry coulis and rhubarb.  There are some gripping tannins that hit the mid palate and that sour cherry must be the source of the bracing acidity.  These factors, combined with the young fruit are going to bode well for a patient lover of Sangiovese.  It will evolve nicely I think.  91 points and 5 stars for this $12 wine.  Drink till 2028.  Salut….

Fattoria Vignavecchia Odoardo Beccari 2014, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, Italy

09 Sunday Jun 2019

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Quite dark and opaque for a Sangiovese.  On the nose it’s quite purply ( is that even a word?). Plum pie, black currants and a dose of chocolate cake.  On the palate it is quite fresh, young in presence and fruit forward.  Cherry essence is the first on a list of palate notes- rhubarb comes in second.  There are some strawberry hints as well as kirsch- but no dark fruits.  Very strange, I was expecting more black notes and ended up with red.  The mid palate has some heat and the comings of some young tannins.  The dryness hits the base of my teeth.  Nice.  On the back end it’s all red fruits and some acidic charm to counter the tannic pinch.  Overall a decent wine that will drink nicely to 2024.  90 points and 3 stars for this $40 wine.  Salut….

La Loggia ‘Toscaia’ Rosso Toscana IGT 2017, Tuscany, Italy

07 Tuesday May 2019

Posted by in Wine

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


It’s a pretty shade of purple in the glass with a 98 point sticker on the bottle….. hmmm.  The nose is thin but offers up strawberry coulis and cherry juice.  On the palate it has much more presence.  A rich mouthful of dark cherry, strawberry extract and cola hit me square on.  Tannins introduce themselves right away and are not holding back.  This is a hefty wine, with structure to boot.  The mid palate has more of that extracted cherry that is almost overwhelmed by the tannic grip.  Wow, this wine is built.  The finish is very astringent yet tasty.  Red fruits swirl alongside black tea and jaw drying tannins.  It’s certainly an interesting wine that I am really enjoying, yet wondering what the cellaring potential is as there is very little acidity.  The tannins and fruit are certainly present, I am just a little concerned about the long term structure.  Let’s see in a few years.  For now, enjoy this Merlot/Sangiovese blend with pasta, steaks or moussaka.  It gets a realistic 91 points from me and 5 stars for the $14 price I paid.  Drink till 2027 at the least.  Salut….

Tenuta Ghiaccio Forte Toscana IGT 2016, Tuscany, Italy

26 Tuesday Mar 2019

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


See through purple in the glass, which makes sense for a Sangiovese.  The nose has a pretty floral note to it alongside red licorice, cedar and raspberry.  On the palate it is more subdued, less flowery, with crisp flavors of red cherry juice, rhubarb and a dose of black tea.  Tannins are rampant, from the get-go, they are quite present throughout the palate and are quite astringent.  There is a greeness to the mid palate that is bothersome, but it gives way to more sour cherry on the finish that keeps this wine lively and fresh.  Overall there is a slight unbalance between the fruit and the tannins, with the acidity being a touch heavy.  This wine is for near term drinking and I would pair with BBQ, perhaps pizza and for sure Moussakka.  87 points from me and 3 stars for this  $15 effort.  Drink till 2021.  Salut….

Ornellaia ‘Le Volte dell’Ornellaia’ Toscana IGT 2014, Tuscany, Italy

04 Monday Mar 2019

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


I bough this wine on its pedigree for $24.  Medium opacity purple in the glass with visible legs.  The nose has kirsch, raspberry and bing cherry by the boatload.  On the palate it is brimming with red fruits, bright acidity and delightful tannins.  Young and vibrant- it needs a little time to settle down.  It is slightly one-dimensional at this time. I hope it evolves and gains tertiary flavors.  The mid palate is more or less the same.  The finish is of medium length with more cherry extract and a dose of rhubarb as well as lingonberry.  The tartness of which shows up at the end.  Overall- a decent wine that gets 89 points from me and 3 stars.  Cab, Merlot and Sangiovese make up this Tuscan red.  Drink from 2022 till 2027.  Salut….

Barbanera Ser Passo Toscana IGT 2016, Tuscany, Italy

08 Saturday Dec 2018

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Bright purple in the glass.   Black cherry and sassafras come to mind on the nose.  The palate is very tasty, brimming with Black cherry, cola, and dark chocolate.  Very fine grained tannins introduce themselves right off the bat and help to coat the gums very gently all the way through the mid palate and onto the finish.  Speaking of the mid-palate, there’s more cola than fruit here along with some licorice.  It’s quite nice!  The finish is medium length and continues the theme.  A very satisfying wine that I am enjoying with pasta and meatballs.  90 points, drink till 2025 with anything Italian!  For the $13 price tag, you need some of this 5 star wine.  Salut….

rIyojFXfRKWeEubT%+SSYA

Borgo Salcetino Chianti Classico DOCG 2015, Tuscany, Italy

04 Sunday Nov 2018

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Light purple, medium opacity.  The nose is generous with pencil lead, blueberry and cherry, yet somewhat atypical.  On the palate it is a little restrained but there are notes of sassafras, bing cherry, rhubarb.  The mid palate gives me lots of juiciness, acidity and the beginnings of a tannic push.  The cherry component really hits on the back end.  89 points and 4 stars for this $12 effort.  I would sit on a few bottles to let the acidity reaper and the tannins to soften slightly.  2020- 2023 Salut….