Wine Focus for January: World Sangiovese, Tuscan reds

Okay. Other than grilled venison.

JC, one dish I have been working on to go with Brunello is Bistecca alla Fiorentina or Tuscan steak. Recipe from CIA calls for a thick T-bone steak, like 1-1/2 inches, coated with salt,pepper, olive oil, garlic, and rosemary then grilled to your taste. When finished, drizzle with more olive oil and a nice sprinkling of lemon juice. Let rest for 10-15, then cut the two pieces of meat away from the bone and slice each to serve.

Sounds yummy Mike except that I wonder about lemon juice with a red wine. Maybe I'll try that next time I open a Brunello.

For a discussion of World Sangiovese and Tuscan reds, there isn't much non-Italian Sangiovese noted here. I invite you to check out the website of a small California producer. Villa Ragazzi Sangiovese was the first planted in Napa Valley in 1985 and is regularly described as "possibly the best made in CA/the U.S." http://www.villaragazziwine.com

I see this is your first post on the board. Welcome! Please feel free to tell us a little about yourself if you wish but definitely do not feel compelled to do so.

Sounds yummy Mike except that I wonder about lemon juice with a red wine. Maybe I'll try that next time I open a Brunello.

JC, I've made this several times now and drank Brunello with it each time. Sprinkling around 2 t over 12 ounces of steak.... the lemon juice isn't a problem for the red wine.

Sounds yummy Mike except that I wonder about lemon juice with a red wine. Maybe I'll try that next time I open a Brunello.

JC, I've made this several times now and drank Brunello with it each time. Sprinkling around 2 t over 12 ounces of steak.... the lemon juice isn't a problem for the red wine.

I agree with your recommendation MikeH and it is not like you are serving a small piece of steak in a bucket of lemon juice.

Chianti and other Tuscan Sangiovese are great partners for savoury food with a touch of acidity and a bit of spice but I guess that they would be less good with dishes with sweeter "fusion" influences; at least I wouldn't try it myself. This Chianti Classico shows refinement as well as robustness but a younger and simpler Chianti from Colli Senesi and other outlying areas from a good producer would also work well with the dish we were eating.

2007 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (1/12/2015)
This is close to my ideal of an entry level Chianti Classico with a still youthful deep red colour, red fruit (plum and damson) and faint leather aromas on a medium bodied and generous palate with lively acidity, a Tuscan tang and a well supported and quite persistent finish. Perfect with ham in a madeira and tomato sauce and penne. Very good.

Posted from CellarTracker

2012 Knapp, Finger Lakes, Sangiovese (Alcohol level 12.5%; $16.99 U.S.). Grapes for this wine a not common in the FL. Although the vines do well in that climate, sometimes the harvest is stingy. Knapp was able to produce 148 cases of this one. It is a rich red wine with pleasant tannins. We matched it was lamb shanks and linguini.

Wasn't aware that Knapp made a Sangiovese, am a fan of their chard..Will be going to a tasting of FL wines next week and Knapp is one of the participating wineries..will look to see if they are offering it..or where it might be available, other than at the winery itself.

I have little experience of Corsican wine, let alone of its version of Sangiovese, but this one was odd. The producer claims to be organic and I am wondering whether a few weeks storage at about 20°C has not caused an upset.

2013 Domaine de Torraccia Vin de Corse Porto Vecchio - France, Corsica, Vin de Corse Porto Vecchio (12/9/2014)
I don't know how this wine made from Niellucciu (AKA Sangiovese) is supposed to taste but I was disconcerted by a noticeable prickle, both visually and on the medium bodied palate. Positive features were freshness, conferred by lively acidity, and red fruit but less positive was a hint of sweetness which together with the prickle reminded me a bit of a fizzy fruit pop. Fair but I won't be buying any more even with a few notches off Lavinia's price of €18.

Posted from CellarTracker

PS since writing this TN, I have come across a review in the RVF http://www.larvf.com/,vin-corse-domaine ... 405708.asp where they too note gassiness. They also refer to to chewy tannins which I didn't note.

2007 La Maialina Chianti Classico Riserva. 13.5% abv. Ullage appeared low but the cork was in good shape and the nose was sound. The wine was inky purple in the glass. The nose was quite attractive with scents of dark ripe berries and dark cherries. Tannins were well integrated. I like this much better now than upon release. It wasn't a good pairing for the leftovers I was having for dinner, so I sipped this on its own, and it was more enjoyable than most Chiantis would be without food.
On the third evening, the earthy and savory qualities of the wine began to overtake the ripe fruitiness. Initially I thought it was better the first night than the second, but overall I think I liked it best on the third and final evening. I have more bottles and will probably open them this year.

I am always looking for LARVF here in town but always out of luck Tim. I should imagine the subscription rate will be high?

Nice note there JC. Is it a well-known name for Chianti?

Bob, it's actually sort of a mystery wine. The producer wouldn't reveal the vineyard that was the source of the grapes but it is suspected to be a well-known vineyard whose own Chianti Riserva sells for about three times the price of the La Maialina.

I am always looking for LARVF here in town but always out of luck Tim. I should imagine the subscription rate will be high?

Nice note there JC. Is it a well-known name for Chianti?

Bob, annual subscription to RVF print edition sent by air to l'étranger is €115 abo.larvf@everial.com .

I have little experience of Corsican wine, let alone of its version of Sangiovese, but this one was odd. The producer claims to be organic and I am wondering whether a few weeks storage at about 20°C has not caused an upset.

2013 Domaine de Torraccia Vin de Corse Porto Vecchio - France, Corsica, Vin de Corse Porto Vecchio (12/9/2014)
I don't know how this wine made from Niellucciu (AKA Sangiovese) is supposed to taste but I was disconcerted by a noticeable prickle, both visually and on the medium bodied palate. Positive features were freshness, conferred by lively acidity, and red fruit but less positive was a hint of sweetness which together with the prickle reminded me a bit of a fizzy fruit pop. Fair but I won't be buying any more even with a few notches off Lavinia's price of €18.

Posted from CellarTracker

PS since writing this TN, I have come across a review in the RVF http://www.larvf.com/,vin-corse-domaine ... 405708.asp where they too note gassiness. They also refer to to chewy tannins which I didn't note.

Quite a few producers are leaving residual CO2 in red wine these days, I rather like it but some people are sensitive to it and don't like it. I've seen it in Pinot Noir, Burgundy, and recently a Frappato that we imported.

Siepi is a "Super Tuscan" made 50/50 from Sangiovese and Merlot. The 2000 vintage can, according to Wine Searcher, still be found at between €70 and 80/bottle and current vintages do not cost much less. I tasted the 2003, 2004 and 2006 young and was not very enamoured of them at that stage partly because of butterscotch and caramel flavours; I liked the '06 best of the three because of more marked acidity and tannins. So it is pleasing to find that, in its maturity, this 2000 had shed or integrated into near imperceptibility these, for me, unwelcome flavours.

2000 Marchesi Mazzei Castello di Fonterutoli Siepi Toscana IGT - Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT (2/4/2015)
I'm not normally a fan of attempts to soften and internationalise the personalities of regional grapes by blending in a lot of Merlot but it works very well here. Deep colour with little rusting and a well developed nose with floral and balsamic notes. The full/medium bodied palate showed good depth, suave texture, some bright and still quite primary sweet plum fruit, more aromas similar to the nose combined with enough acidity and tannic backbone for balance in spite of a vintage which sometime gave wines with a tendency to flabbiness. Mature but showing no signs of imminent break-up. Very good.

Posted from CellarTracker

2012 Knapp, Finger Lakes, Sangiovese (Alcohol level 12.5%; $16.99 U.S.). Grapes for this wine a not common in the FL. Although the vines do well in that climate, sometimes the harvest is stingy. Knapp was able to produce 148 cases of this one. It is a rich red wine with pleasant tannins. We matched it was lamb shanks and linguini.

Popped the 2013 last night with the same dish. Wonderful! Interestingly they only have a 2012 on their website.