By Duane Pemberton
Winery website: http://www.volpaia.com
Chianti is still king in my house when it comes to picking a nearly-perfect wine to pair with pasta dishes – the acids they exhibit as well as complexity of flavors make them a no-brainer for the complex flavors to be found in many of today’s favorite Italian dishes.
This little gem of a wine can be found for $20 or under and fits the bill quite nicely as a table wine with friends or to pound down with a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs.
Technical Data:
- Grapes: Sangiovese 90%, Merlot / Syrah 10%
- Alcohol: 13.5%
- Altitude: 1450 feet above sea level
- Soil: Decomposing sandstone providing light soil rich in lime and texture
- Vineyards: Piano al Prato, Campo a Pitti, Piaggia degli Abati, Casetto, Santa Maria Novella
- Price: $20
Nose: Beautiful mix of poo-laden black fruit. I get notes of forest floor, mushroom, black pepper, dark chocolate and plums.
Taste: This is a very classic-tasting Chianti in that it has the fruit, body (mouthfeel) but is nicely acid-driven. The net result is wine that simply cries out to be paired with tomato-based dishes, pastas or even stewed lamb and game.
