Friday Sips
FRIDAY SIPS
Chianti Con Pancetta
Today September 30 from 1:30 - 6:30
Chianti Con Pancetta
Today September 30 from 1:30 - 6:30
Drop by to taste four Chianti wines from the Panzano and Greve areas of the Classico zone. Our friend Todd 'Pancetta' Bacon will be on hand from 3:30 to pour and discuss the wines. Classico, Riserva and Gran Selezione will be represented...The wines will be open at 1:30 for those who wish to pop in earlier.
NAMEO2012 POGGIO SCALETTE
CHIANTI CLASSICOFWINE
$24.99 BTL./$299.88 CASE
CHIANTI CLASSICOFWINE
$24.99 BTL./$299.88 CASE
A killer Chianti from a top-notch Greve-based producer who known for a Super-Tuscan called Il Carbonaione that retails in the stratosphere.
Poggio Scalette's Chianti is made with all of the same passion that goes into their uber-expensive wine. 100% Sangiovese and exactly what top-level Chianti is all about, Scalette's 2012 is a version with power yet has a brilliant tonality and fascinating development on the nose. Lovely fruited fragrances of blackcurrant and blueberry emerge first, nicely infused with minty balsam. The entry is thrilling in its seamless aspects, calmly developing a luscious and tangy structure with well-gauged extract and a finish that prompts a satisfied sigh.
Poggio Scalette's Chianti is made with all of the same passion that goes into their uber-expensive wine. 100% Sangiovese and exactly what top-level Chianti is all about, Scalette's 2012 is a version with power yet has a brilliant tonality and fascinating development on the nose. Lovely fruited fragrances of blackcurrant and blueberry emerge first, nicely infused with minty balsam. The entry is thrilling in its seamless aspects, calmly developing a luscious and tangy structure with well-gauged extract and a finish that prompts a satisfied sigh.
2013 RENZO MARINAI
CHIANTI CLASSICO
$23.99 BTL./$143.94 - SIX PACK
CHIANTI CLASSICO
$23.99 BTL./$143.94 - SIX PACK
Renzo Marinai is a neo-classicist Chianti producer based in Panzano in the Classico zone. For this offering, only large botti are utilized and what goes into the bottle is quite magical.
All about purity, savory cherry pit, sage, Tuscan spice and floral tones waft from the glass. Layered and very red-toned, you will not mistake this for Washington Sangiovese! Ethereal, lifting and very food-friendly and loads of persistence instantly transport you to that most memorable Tuscan vacation you took and the trattoria where you had the food/wine epiphany of a classic Chianti and a pasta with some sort of sugo of rabbit, chingale, lamb, tomatoes, etc. A knock-your-socks-off Chianti and one that drinks beautifully now and will age nicely for 6-8 years, too.
All about purity, savory cherry pit, sage, Tuscan spice and floral tones waft from the glass. Layered and very red-toned, you will not mistake this for Washington Sangiovese! Ethereal, lifting and very food-friendly and loads of persistence instantly transport you to that most memorable Tuscan vacation you took and the trattoria where you had the food/wine epiphany of a classic Chianti and a pasta with some sort of sugo of rabbit, chingale, lamb, tomatoes, etc. A knock-your-socks-off Chianti and one that drinks beautifully now and will age nicely for 6-8 years, too.
2010 RENZO MARINAI
CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA
$34.99 BTL./$209.94 - SIX PACK
CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA
$34.99 BTL./$209.94 - SIX PACK
Like the majority of Italy and Europe, 2010 off-the charts vintage for Tuscany that is best described as seamless. A selection of top fruit and barrels, Renzo’s Riserva is sublime indeed. This is an agreement and charter amongst Panzano’s producers to farm organically, sans the use of chemicals in the vineyards. Like the Classico and all of the Marinai wines they are farmed and produced in this manner.
Aged in a combination of large botti and 600 liter tonneaux, the 2010 Riserva emits uplifting yet deep aromas of wild cherry and perfumo di Toscana that virtually fill the room once this beauty opens up. Ripe red cherry echoes on the palate and is joined by flavors of creamy strawberry, balsamico, violet, cedar, anisette and roasted earth., that quality is accentuated even further, adding a deeper level of depth and structure to the complex flavors in the mouth. A great wine and not undrinkable early on with a good decanting, ultimately this could use another 3 years to fully integrate and then will continue to give you copious amounts of pleasure through 2023. If you are a lover of great Italian wines, this is necessary in your cellar. Enjoy with the great cuisine inspired by the region such as braised meat with roasted porcini.
Aged in a combination of large botti and 600 liter tonneaux, the 2010 Riserva emits uplifting yet deep aromas of wild cherry and perfumo di Toscana that virtually fill the room once this beauty opens up. Ripe red cherry echoes on the palate and is joined by flavors of creamy strawberry, balsamico, violet, cedar, anisette and roasted earth., that quality is accentuated even further, adding a deeper level of depth and structure to the complex flavors in the mouth. A great wine and not undrinkable early on with a good decanting, ultimately this could use another 3 years to fully integrate and then will continue to give you copious amounts of pleasure through 2023. If you are a lover of great Italian wines, this is necessary in your cellar. Enjoy with the great cuisine inspired by the region such as braised meat with roasted porcini.
2010 VIGNAMAGGIO CHIANTI CLASSICO
'MONNA LISA' GRAN SELEZIONE
$35.99 BTL./$215.94 - SIX PACK
'MONNA LISA' GRAN SELEZIONE
$35.99 BTL./$215.94 - SIX PACK
Gran Selezione is Chianti Classico’s new, apex designation of their wines. Quite difficult to obtain, the wines must be submitted and adhere to a number of stringent qualifications before being approved for this designation which are more stringent and beyond those of Chainti Classico Riserva. Only grapes from the estate may be used, at least 80% Sangiovese and at least 30 months aging in barrels. 2010 was the first vintage that these designations were permitted and Vignamaggio’s is only one of 34 to qualify for this status for the 2010 vintage.
Vignamaggio has a long and impressive history. Documents have shown that viticulture has been present here since 1414 and between 1503 and 1506; Leonardo da Vinci painted a famous portrait of a noblewoman who legend states spent her childhood with her cousins from the Gherardini family who owned the villa at the time. Turned out the noblewoman identified in the middle of the 16th century was Monna Lisa Gherardini...yes, that Mona Lisa! Fast forward to the 21st century and we find a producer and wine that respects not only the history of the estate but respects its terroir with this wine that is only produced in the finest of vintages. Located between Greve and Panzano, the wines from the Vignamaggio vineyards always reflect a true semblance of balance.
Perhaps this is the reason why when you stick your nose into this glass of Chianti, what you smell is the rich earth, violet and aromatic sage brush of Tuscany. The 2010 Gran Selezione is a truly fine and elegant bottle of wine that has substantial structure and the finesse and balance to go the distance. An undertow of supporting aromas of dark chocolate, tobacco, toffee and leather and mingle gracefully with smoked morellino cherry, roasted herbs, violets and licorice and this complex array of aromas are flawlessly echoed in the mouth. This poised and personable bottle of Chianti is drinkable now with a grilled T-Bone or an aged piece of Pecorino Toscana but it will undoubtedly give you many years of enjoyment.
Vignamaggio has a long and impressive history. Documents have shown that viticulture has been present here since 1414 and between 1503 and 1506; Leonardo da Vinci painted a famous portrait of a noblewoman who legend states spent her childhood with her cousins from the Gherardini family who owned the villa at the time. Turned out the noblewoman identified in the middle of the 16th century was Monna Lisa Gherardini...yes, that Mona Lisa! Fast forward to the 21st century and we find a producer and wine that respects not only the history of the estate but respects its terroir with this wine that is only produced in the finest of vintages. Located between Greve and Panzano, the wines from the Vignamaggio vineyards always reflect a true semblance of balance.
Perhaps this is the reason why when you stick your nose into this glass of Chianti, what you smell is the rich earth, violet and aromatic sage brush of Tuscany. The 2010 Gran Selezione is a truly fine and elegant bottle of wine that has substantial structure and the finesse and balance to go the distance. An undertow of supporting aromas of dark chocolate, tobacco, toffee and leather and mingle gracefully with smoked morellino cherry, roasted herbs, violets and licorice and this complex array of aromas are flawlessly echoed in the mouth. This poised and personable bottle of Chianti is drinkable now with a grilled T-Bone or an aged piece of Pecorino Toscana but it will undoubtedly give you many years of enjoyment.
