Wine: Italian wine
By Wine Atlas, Wednesday 19 October 2005 :: Wine - Italy :: #73 :: rss
Wine: Italian wine labels can throw anyone for a loop
By Frank Sutherland and Kate Sutherland Gannett News Service
Even if you stick to the most well known red Chianti there are often plenty of other words on the bottle to decipher.
Some wines might just say Chianti, which are inexpensive everyday wines from anywhere in the region. The next step up in quality is a wine from a specific subregion that is listed on the label after Chianti.
There are seven subregions, but most readily available and highly regarded is Chianti Classico. One step beyond that is the Chianti Classico Riserva, which must be aged at least twice as long as regular Chianti Classico. These wines are fuller bodied, more complex and age longer. As with all Chianti, the Riservas usually taste better with food than alone.
Here are the results of our blind tasting:
Wine of the week (tie): 1999 Melini Vigneti La Selvanella Chianti Classico Riserva.
- Price: $24.99.
- Aroma: Mint, violets, fresh herbs and soil.
- Palate: Dried cherries, cola, and earthiness.
- Verdict: A rustic wine that would pair well with lamb. Tied for first.
1999 Castello di Lucignano Chianti Classico Riserva.
- Price: $39.99.
- Aroma: Dusty sweet figs, clove oil, and sweet cedar.
- Palate: Lighter-bodied than the other wines, but full of oak with dried cherries and figs in the finish.
- Verdict: Tied for first in our tasting but more expensive than the Melini.
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