In-Store Tasting 6/17

Stop by on Thursday, from 4:30pm to 7:00pm, to taste a collection of wines from Castello Banfi in Tuscany, Italy.

=> The rose is a blend of sangiovese, merlot and cabernet sauvignon. Allow this one to breathe just a touch, it will bloom like a rose bud. Flavors of cranberry, strawberry, and lime weave themselves in a ribbon of acidity. There is a ripe pie cherry snap on the finish.
=> The white blend is 40% sauvignon blanc, 30% pinot grigio, and 30% chardonnay. Light gold-yellow color with a nose of lychee and Juicy Fruit gum. Citrus, Anjou pear and spring blossom flavors fill the mouth. Crisp, luscious, and fruity, offering a thirst quenching splash of acidity. A dry mouthfeel with a sweet kick on the finish.
=> The red blend reminds us of a Super Tuscan, but without the hefty price tag. This rosso is a blend of sangiovese (60%), cabernet sauvignon (20%) and merlot (20%). Its ruby color gives up scents of dried cranberries and ground spices. On the palate it shows flavors of lavender, cherries, red raspberries, and a touch of flint. Soft, polished tannins give the wine a complentary facet to its delicate fruit.
=> Finally, the Chianti Classico is the wine this producer has built its reputation on and this vintage is a real gem. Aromas of berries and violets fill the nose. In the mouth the wine is delicate and complex with flavors of cherry, leather, vanilla, and lavender. Dry on the finish, with hints of mineral, ground clove, and lime leaves. Let it breathe to enjoy its true beauty.

June 17th, 2010
Castello Banfi Italian Wines
Centine Rose $9.99
Centine Bianco $9.99
Centine Rosso $9.99
Castello Banfi Chianti Classico $16.99

Stop by on THURSDAY to sample from 4:30pm to 7:00pm. Receive a 15% off discount, for any wine being poured as an in-store sample, during the tasting hours.

Read about winemaking in Chianti.

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Chianti
The most famous quote about Chianti comes from The Silence of the Lambs. Working in the retail wine trade, I've heard hundreds of bad Anthony Hopkins impressions, touting the virtues of Chianti and fava beans. The popularity of this thriller gave the wine from this centuries old region a bump in sales for months. Over the years, many fictional characters have shined the limelight on a wine region or producer's label, but none have been as successful as the creepy accolade from Hannibal Lecter.
      Chianti was the perfect choice for the well educated, stylish psychopath. Chianti is an icon of European artisanship. Chianti has been held as a sophisticated food wine since its rebirth in 1990 by many chefs. It is the ultimate red for pairing, with its ample acidity, spicy character, and polished tannins.
      The Chianti appellation is steeped in history. Producers have been growing grapes there for millennia, handing down the land, production secrets, and wine label generation after generation. Like many European wines, Chianti is a place, not a grape. The grapes used to make Chianti are legislated. If a producer vinifies unapproved grapes, they lose the privilege of using the name Chianti on the label. Wine from this region not following the preapproved recipe of Chianti can only use the name IGT Tuscany on the label. There is no such thing as white or rose Chianti.
      Sangiovese is the main grape used to make Chianti. Sangiovese can be found growing all over Italy, but it is in Tuscany that its reputation was honed. Sangiovese has not flourished in the new world, like the grapes of Bordeaux and Burgundy. Producers in the United States have struggled for years to grow sangiovese.
      Italians ventured across the sea to the new world for over a century. The United States and Argentina saw a large influx of Italians at the turn of the twentieth century. These immigrants brought with them their beloved wine grape vines, including sangiovese. But sangiovese would not flourish in the new land. The talented winemakers eventually switched to French varieties which thrived in the new world. It seems sangiovese is loyal to her terroir.
      Chianti has seven sub-regions, Classico, Colli Aretini, Colli Fiorentini, Colline Pisane, Colli Senesi, Montalbano and Rùfina. The recipe for Chianti was 70% sangiovese, 15% canaiolo and 15% malvasia bianca was established in the nineteenth century. It was not until 1995 that Chianti was allowed to be 100% sangiovese. It was at this time the governing organization allowed producers to use up to 20% cabernet sauvignon and merlot.
      This jewel of Tuscany can range in flavor and style from traditional, using the old school grapes being aged in old Slovenian vats. It can also be a blend of with the French grapes cabernet sauvignon and merlot, aged in new French oak barrels. Then there are the producers who love to show off their old vines and turn out Chianti made from only sangiovese.

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