This red wine from Tuscany in Italy is made from 100% Sangiovese, and since 2016 the producer Istine is certified organic. It has very pleasant notes of dark cherries, slightly sour which is typical for this style, as well as sage and cinnamon. The maturation in Slovenian oak for one year adds notes of vanilla, chocolate, tobacco and cloves.
The balance between the high acidity and firm but integrated tannins, as well as the pronounced flavours make this wine very good to match with the typical Italian cuisine – like pasta, pizza, prosciutto and fantastic cheeses! It costs 159 SEK and has nr 2309 at Systembolaget, and the well-integrated structure and classy finish makes this a very price-worthy wine, and it gets 86 points!
There are quite a few Italian green wines to choose between – and I myself am fond of the typical slightly sour cherry taste from the Chianti wines. The Gratena Chianti Fattoria Di Gratin 2013 is a DOCG wine (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita), and I find it well worth its 95 SEK at Systembolaget here in Sweden.
Chianti DOCG, from Tuscany in central Italy, is Italy’s most exported wine. The grape variety used is Sangiovese (but up to 20 % of other varieties are permitted in the blend). The Sangiovese grape is best known for its sour red cherry fruits, not so aromatic in its character, high in acidity and rather astringent tannins – and this Gratena Chianti shows much of this! I give it 81 points – especially considering its price! It also has quite a long finish with lots of fruits. There are also notes of oak, strawberries and a bit of chocolate. Alcohol 13,5 %.
This wine is best when combined with food with quite a lot of taste – like red meat of lamb dishes – since the tannins are rather astringent and need something in the food to digest it with. But pork or game dishes would also be very good, as well as a rich salmon dish.
Time to relax 🙂
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