Tag Archives: sangiovese

Castelli del Grevepesa Clemente VII Riserva 2016, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG Tuscany, Italy

03 Saturday Sep 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Pale to medium ruby colored with thick, droopy legs.  The nose has aromas of steeped cherry, rose, baking spice, white raspberry, coconut, cherry cola and vanilla bean.  The palate is dry with high acidity and medium tannins.  Medium (+) bodied I get delicious flavors of cherry, vanilla, coconut, raspberry and spice. It finishes long with a tart cherry note and some lingering, integrated tannins.  This is a delicious and mature Sangiovese from the heart of Tuscany.  It will cellar well into 2028 and pair beautifully with pasta (duh!) and perhaps a ribeye with Roquefort sauce.  It is very pinpoint btw.  93 points from me for this $28 effort makes it a 5 star wine.  Salut….

Tenuta di Renieri Chianti Classico DOCG 2019, Tuscany, Italy

29 Monday Aug 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


Pale ruby colored, this Sangiovese has lovely aromas of red cherry, tar, rose petals, orange peel, leather, green herbs (dill) and sandalwood.  The palate is dry with medium (+) acidity and medium (+) tannins.  Medium to full bodied- I get flavors of tart red cherry, leather, rose petal and that dill component.  A slight charred oak note follows on at the mid palate and the finish is short.  A serviceable Chianti that lacks a real oomph, it gets 89 points from me and for $22 it is a 3 star effort to drink till 2027.  Salut….

Castelli del Grevepesa Panzano Gran Selezione 2016, Chianti Classico DOCG, Italy

18 Monday Jul 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Medium ruby colored with a bit of cloudiness in the glass.  The nose of this Sangiovese is medium intensity with aromas of crushed rose petals, tomato stem, red cherry, dusty earth, dried leather, vanilla and baking spice.  The palate is dry and tart with high acidity and medium tannins.  Fruit-wise I get tart cherry, roses and that green tomato stem note followed by secondary flavors of earth, leather, vanilla and spice box.  The wine runs 14% ABV giving it a medium (+) body.  The finish is long and sour with the cherry component that lingers.  I would pair this with a fatty cut of meat, think lamb or ribeye steaks.  It needs something to offset the acidity and tame the tannins.  It has good structure to cellar till 2030.  91 points from me for this $28 effort makes it a 4 star wine.  Salut….

Castello di Bibbione Gran Selezione 2016, Chianti Classico DOCG, Italy

14 Thursday Jul 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Medium garnet colored, this 6 year old Sangiovese is showing a bit of age already.  The nose has aromas of warm cherry, leather, rose, cinnamon, pomegranate, cranberry and fresh cut pine.  The palate is dry with high acidity and mouth coating tannins.  It is a young wine in texture, but the fruit is already mingling with tertiary flavors.  Red fruit (tart) with leather, rose, cigar box and that fresh wood note.  The acidity and tannins are very powerful and opposing in this medium (+) bodied wine.  The finish is a short, sour affair with the tannins really coating my gums.  I like this rather youthful wine and think it will develop and soften with time.  If you want something zippy for a pasta dinner or grilled steaks, this is open for business.  Drink till 2030.   92 points for this $25 wine makes it a solid 5 star effort.  Salut….

Castelli del Grevepesa Lamole 2016, Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG, Italy

11 Monday Jul 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,


Medium ruby colored this Sangiovese has pretty thick legs running down the glass that would concur with the 14% ABV.  The nose gives me coconut, red cherry, rose, cedar and coffee.  The palate is a dry and tart affair with fine grained tannins that are medium intensity and well integrated.  The high acidity really takes center stage on the initial attack.  Flavors of red cherry, coconut, rose, rhubarb and cranberry fill my mouth with a red fruit cocktail laced with tart, almost underripe cherry at the core.  It’s an interesting wine that feels a bit out of balance yet I keep wanting to take another sip.  The finish is medium length and really jaw watering.  The tannins are fighting the acidity.  This wine will pair beautifully with a pasta of sautéed veggies and olives in thin spaghetti.  I would even put it up against Osso Bucco or Veal parmigiana.  I’m going 91 points, slightly lower than the pros but at $28 it is a respectable 4 star wine to drink till 2030.  Salut….

San Felice Campogiovanni Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012, Tuscany, Italy

15 Sunday May 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


I have been following the progress of this Sangiovese for a few years now and really enjoyed it alongside charcuterie prior to dinner.  I didn’t take notes, only mental observations.  It is now mature, with high acidity and melded tannins.  The red fruit is joined by leather, rose, cigar box and maduro.  Medium bodied, it drinks nicely to a medium finish.  You can read about my last tasting here.  I’m sticking with the 93 points previously given.  It runs $50 now which is still a good deal for well made Brunello.  5 stars.  Drink till 2030.  Salut….

 

Castello di Meleto Vin Santo del Chianti Classico 2009, Tuscany, Italy

06 Wednesday Apr 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,


This is a new one for me- Vin Santo (not to be confused with Vinsanto) is a technique of drying the grapes in the rafters of a shed and pressing the dried grapes later in the season.  The must is then sealed in small barrels and left for several years to ferment, slowly, integrating with the barrel and it’s oxygen.  Mainly Trebbianno, they also add Sangiovese and Malvasia to the blend.  These small barrels are called Carati and are sealed once 70% filled, creating ample air space.  This one is now 13 years old and is medium amber colored.  The liquid slides down the glass in a watery sheen, versus the traditional legs, which imply a viscous texture is to be expected.

The nose has pronounced aromas of dried apricot, honey, walnuts, hazelnuts, orange marmalade, a touch of bread dough and cream.  The palate is medium sweet with medium acidity and full body.  Medium alcohol and a mouth coating richness make for a beautiful mouthfeel.  The flavors are pronounced- honey, dried apricot and nuts with much less bread/yeast notes.  The marmalade is less intense but adds depth.  This delicious dessert wine has a decently long finish and gets 92 points from me.  I would love some sharp cheese to pair with it and can see it aging nicely till 2030 at the least.  I paid $25 for this 5 star sticky and would do it again for the cellar.  Yummy stuff.  Salut….

Corbinelli ‘Fonte dei Borghi’ Chianti DOCG 2019, Tuscany, Italy

17 Thursday Mar 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


If you Google what wine goes with Shepherds pie the answer is Chianti.  Seeing as today is St. Patrick’s day, that is exactly what’s going down.  This particular bottle is pale to medium ruby in the glass with watery legs denoting a lower alcohol wine at 12.5% ABV.  The nose is classic Sangiovese.  Cherry, red raspberry, violets, a hint of leather and red licorice.  No sign of any oak at this point.  The palate is dry with racy acidity and medium (+) tannins.  The flavors are shrouded in the tannic grip but I get cherry, mushroom, raspberry, red licorice and a touch of the leather component.  Dried herbs and a floral note kick in on the medium length finish- which is very astringent btw.  I feel like I am stuffing pouches of black tea bags between my gums.  It needs a good aerating or decanting to soften this wine up a touch, it will pair nicely with my ground lamb based dish, cutting the fat nicely.  The intensity of this wine’s fruit is the only detractor, the balance is a little off for me.  I like it, don’t get me wrong, it’s just a little out of sorts.  89 points for this $15 effort makes it a 3 star wine to drink from 2024-2027.  Salut….

Bonacchi Podere Molino della Suga Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2016, Tuscany, Italy

11 Friday Mar 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


This Sangiovese is starting to mature- pale garnet in the glass with thick legs (14% ABV).  Pronounced aromas of cherry, leather and strawberry with hints of clove, rooibos tea, garigue and dried herb.  The palate is dry and quite tannic.  I get lovely crushed cherry, cranberry, pomegranate, strawberry coulis and earthy leather.  This wine has juicy acidity and a full body- it’s just now starting to become drinkable.  It is a very young wine with great structure and potential for aging that will allow tertiary flavor development.  Right now it is still relatively primal.  Delicious stuff that has a long finish and rather astringent mouthfeel right now.  It will drink beautifully till 2030 and pair well with Italian fare, grilled ribeye or game.  93 points from me for this $40 wine makes it a 5 star effort.  Salut….

Famiglia Cotarella Falesco Vitiano Rosso Italia 2018, Italy

15 Tuesday Feb 2022

Posted by in Wine

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , ,


It’s labeled as a Rosso Italia which means there is no rules the winemaker had to play by as far as varietals, blending, aging etc.  It’s the way it should be if you ask me- let the winemaker make the choices, not hamstrung by Byzantine Old World rules.

It is a deep claret color with medium intensity aromas of red cherry, blackcurrant, ripe plum, baking spice and a touch of charcoal.  The palate is dry and grippy with upfront, somewhat green tannins.  Medium (-) acidity, medium body and short finish.  The flavors are much more focused on blackcurrant and cherry, with a hint of spice and oak influence peeking out from behind the tannic veil.  The astringency is a little much to be honest, this is either a very young wine, or just out of balance.  At $12 per bottle it is a handy blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cab Sav that get 88 point from me.  Drink this 4 star wine with meaty dishes or hearty pasta till 2025.  Salut….