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The Chianti Chronicles: Part Due

Written By: Dylan York on Monday, May 12, 2008

An inside peek at affordable and high quality Chianti.

When someone mentions the wine Chianti what is the first image and flavor that comes to your mind? Some of you may cringe and recall the taste of a thin, bitter and acidic red wine that you had at one of those Italian restaurants with red and white checkered table cloths. Some may automatically refer to it as an inexpensive fruity Italian red wine that you drink with spaghetti or pizza. Others may recount a deep and herbaceous masterpiece filled with flavors of bittersweet dark chocolate, Bing cherries, and vanilla with hints of tea leaf and the feel of rustic aged oak. The fact is that all of these are correct descriptions for Chianti. So how can a wine have this many faces and how do we know which one is for pizza and which one is for an herb crusted veal chop? If you haven't already, I recommend reading the previous article, The Chianti Chronicles Parte Uno so you get the regional structure of Chianti in your mind. Chianti can be much more complex than most people realize.

There is a sea of low quality Chianti in the market so steer wisely through your local waters. I have found some good inexpensive ones throughout the years and stuck with them. I think that's the best way to approach Chianti at every level since, in my experience, the bad never gets any better and the good ones remain reliable. Chianti producers are very true to their form and do their best to remain consistent from vintage to vintage, which I'm sure tradition plays a big role in. If you are looking for the everyday Chianti that is perfect for a nice night in or something to take to a casual get together, try some of these.

Palladio Chianti is one of those wines that you can pick up whenever you want something simple and inexpensive. This is the wine you spend $10 or $12 USD on and take the rest of your dough and buy lots of meats and cheeses. This wine has no bells or whistles but it does deliver a great balance of red cherry, minerals, tannins and acidity.

Poggiotondo Chianti Superiore is a great wine that has an Old World backbone yet delivers a youthful New World presence. The winery was started in 1969 by Carlo Antonini, who later handed the winery over to his son Alberto who gave it the modern touches it needed. Alberto uses grapes from all of the different micro climates of Chianti and blends them into a great little wine. The wine has a strong foundation of black and red fruits that taper off into notes of tobacco, earth and spice. This wine retails for around $15-20 USD.

Selvapiana Chianti Rufina is a good example of a lighter, more rustic approach to the region. The estate was established in 1827 so its Old World roots are well grounded. Chianti Rufina tends to be lighter and more fragrant in earthy aromas. Try this wine so you can see the red fruit and mushroom side of Chianti. This wine will retail in the mid twenties and is nice on a warm afternoon with a plate of pecorino and fruit.

Geografico Chianti Colli Senesi has been a part of almost all my wine programs. I first tasted this wine eight years ago and have bought every vintage since. This wine is very terroir driven with rich red fruit texture and gives you a glimpse into the different soil types Chianti has to offer. The wine is produced from 85% Sangiovese and 15% Canaiolo from a hillside vineyard that surrounds the town of Siena and you can taste the sun and rocky soil in the wine. This wine has always delivered more than expected for a wine that retails under $15.

Give some of these a shot and see what you think, in the next article we're going to Chianti Classico.

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suri
Seattle, WA
Posted on 5/12/08

Looking forward to Chianti Classico, it's my personal favorite from that region.


pandaa58
Boston, MA
Posted on 5/12/08

Palladio Chianti never really did it for me. However I'm pretty sure it was just a matter of taste because most of my friends enjoyed it when we tried it. You'll always have these discrepancies when it comes to wine though.


fernyb
Detroit, MI
Posted on 5/12/08

I drink the Palladio Chianti and would definitely agree with the author's assessment. Not mind blowing, but certainly reliable and good for casual meals.


shadowoptics
Miami, FL
Posted on 5/12/08

Nice suggestions. I personally have had some of those thin, unimpressive Chianti's in the past. I've strayed away for awhile.With these suggestions, maybe i'll dig back in. But if these fail me, i'm out for good!

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