Chianti time!

[berettafan]

First Chianti on my journey into wine and it might be my favorite wine so far.


$14. I can handle that.

It's a bit dry (tannic?) initially but doesn't really stay that way. My initial thought was 'bit dry/tannic to drink without food'. 20 seconds later i was still enjoying that first sip and decided to break out the dry salame our neighbors dropped by. Better than walnut brownies and Zin (or cabernet as i recently discovered) this is my new favorite wine/snack combo.

Dunno if i'll like the next Chianti i try but it'll be hard to not just buy this one again!

[Moses]

Until 1995, if you wanted to call a wine Chianti it had to have a distinct composition; 70% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo and 15% Malvasia bianca. I don't know what's so magical about the mix, but I've never tried a Chianti I didn't like. (Even the cheap stuff in the straw basket.)

[stomachmonkey]

... I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti. ...

[berettafan]

Moses i'll have to seek out that specific blend.
The Rocca is 90% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot and 5% Canaiolo.
Reviews say the Riserva is well worth the add'l cost so I may try that next but for $14 this stuff is right on for me!

[imcarthur]

Rocca is a largish volume producer of Tuscan wines. Some traditional wines like Chianti & Chianti Classicos & Riservas as well as some Super Tuscans like Ser Gioveto & Roccato. I believe some celebrity owns it. Decent, affordable wines that are widely available.

As always, give them time for best results.

Ian

[berettafan]

Feel free to make suggestions on what my next Chianti Classico should be!

[Gogar]

This is my favorite. About $20. Ruffino "Riserva Ducale".

[SXSMAN]

The key is the Sangiovese grape . By far my pick when it comes to reds .

Even my house wine isn't half bad at 3.99 a bottle for Crane Lake Sangiovese .

I'll be bring back some more reds this July when I return to Italy .

If there is something that is hard to come by here , let me know and I might be able to procure it for you while there .

I've still got a nice bottle of Brunello Di Montalcino that I need to drink , guess I don't need a special occasion to enjoy it .


SxS ( )

[SXSMAN]

Originally Posted by Gogar

This is my favorite. About $20. Ruffino "Riserva Ducale".

That is very good .

I took the last bottle they had an it was corked .

Still waiting for more to come in .

They ( wine store ) offered me something else but I told them I'd wait .

SxS

[Jims5543]

Originally Posted by Gogar

This is my favorite. About $20. Ruffino "Riserva Ducale".

+1!!!

Local grocery store carries it.

[berettafan]

Great, will try that next!

[island911]

http://www.fattoriapetroio.it/index_en.htm --my biased opinion.-- I had the great pleasure of drinking much of their chianti while staying at their Tuscan estate. Great place, people, wine... Great times... They even left a Lamborghini for me to drive. --too bad it was just a tractor.

Trader Joes carries their Chianti. ~12$/bottle (tho' that may be just a left coast thing ...that my be going up; Euro/dollar thing)

The Riserva is a bit nicer, but much more $

[gatotom]

The 2001 sangiovese harvest was a good one, hard to go wrong on anything. If you like bordeaux wine the 2005 is a great vintage and you can score some good value, they are appearing in the stores the last month. Speaking of 05 bordeaux, about a month ago I found some in the store for 7.99 on friday bought 4 and drank 2 and went back to buy 4 more on sunday and it was now 8.99, the guy said welcome to inflation The 2001 are getting harder to come by so maybe start buying the 2004 chianti, not bad but not as good as 2001.

The Ruffino is great 2001, still have 4 in the cellar, some to try:
Antinori Chianti Classico Peppoli 2004, 90 score under 25 bucks
San Felice Chianti Classico II Grigio Riserva hi 80's score 20 bucks, always good my go to favorite.
Nozzole Chianti Classico Riserva hi 80's under 20 bucks I believe Costco 15 bucks
Da Vinci Chianti Classico hi 80's always good 10 bucks
Marchesi De Frescobaldi Chianto Castiglioni mid 80's 10 bucks
Stefano Farina Chianti Classico Podere della Sala mid 80's under 15 bucks
Masciarelli Montepulciano d' Abruzzo 05 is a score, 90 for 8 bucks

If you don't have good wine stores in your area there is also wine over the internet winex.com or thewineclub.com but depending how far the shipping miles you can add about 2-3 bucks per bottle.

[Gogar]

+1 on Nozzole, and Da Vinci.

Also maybe Bartali Ducceto for the less than $10 crowd.

[berettafan]

Jim, Gogar, SxS- Any year on the Ruffino?

I notice the bottle shown appears to be an '01.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Gonna' pick some up at lunch now. . . I'm still not anything close to a wine expert, but at least I'm getting better at differentiating between "good" and "okay". I'll give it a whirl. What's the worst that can happen?

[72doug2,2S]

Chianti is the perfect wine to go with my Florentine sauce. It's been in my kitchen for over a decade. Did you get that recipe?

Anyone know how well the reserves age? Life expectancy?

The tannins are an acquired taste. Sip and enjoy!

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by 72doug2,2S

Anyone know how well the reserves age? Life expectancy?

Not sure on Chiantis but I'd say 10 years or so for riservas. Brunellos & Brunello Riservas are capable of much more.

Are you going to share your sauce? I'll trade you an Arrabiata pasta sauce. Or I have a nice collection of veal recipes . . .

Ian

[berettafan]

Doug i've already printed it out and will be trying it in the next week.

[72doug2,2S]

Originally Posted by imcarthur

Not sure on Chiantis but I'd say 10 years or so for riservas. Brunellos & Brunello Riservas are capable of much more.

Are you going to share your sauce? I'll trade you an Arrabiata pasta sauce. Or I have a nice collection of veal recipes . . .

Ian

Here's a reprint

The following is an old northern Italian family recipe (a delicate Florentine sauce) handed down by the Bartolini's. It is their family recipe and I am more that a little unnerved by passing it along. The Bartolini's own a hotel in Firenze, in 1991 they had just opened a restaurant in Fiesole. Signor Bartolini personally taught me this recipe, while I was a lodger and guest in his hotel during my studies at the British Institute of Florence . Signor Bartolini also introduced me to the traditional drink of Grappa before one sits to a large meal (to open the stomach).

Pasta “Bartolini”
The Red Sauce:

Chili peppers – 1 for 4 people (Crushed red pepper works)
7 or 8 for 30 people
Garlic – 1 clove for 4 people (don't leave the skin on) -fresh garlic only
Tomatoes (canned-whole peeled) -- ½ kilo for 4 people (chop these with a chef knife and place in a large stainless steel bowl).-Do not buy diced tomatoes.

Dice garlic and chili peppers until it is in very little pieces – do not use a food processor!!

Add fresh uncooked parsley, chopped – 1 teaspoon for each plate.
Layer bottom of pan thickly with olive oil (extra virgin). Pour diced garlic and chili into hot oil (make sure it is hot-1 drop of water in the oil will tell you when it's hot). When garlic starts to become brown and smells delicious, add tomatoes (garlic color will be darker than almond almost red brick, but not black -it will be ruined if it cooks more –about 5 minutes). Also, if you want to add other vegetables like mushrooms, cook them separately so as not to lose the unique flavor of the vegetables or the sauce (add these after it cools). Add some salt to the tomatoes, then 2 pinches of pepper. Then sauce should cook (boil) for about 45 minutes, at least-uncovered. The secret is removing the water and reducing the tomatoes to their essence. Don't short cut this process or you short cut flavor. Always stir the sauce (wooden spoon only) if it burns at the bottom it's ruined. The real flavors come out when the sauce is finally allowed to cool a bit.

Give yourself three hours at least before dinner if you try the sauce.


The Pasta:

The water must boil before you put the pasta in. Put salt in the water (not a pinch, a handful) and use 6 liters of water for 2 kilos of pasta. Stir pasta with a wooden spoon so that it doesn't stick. Note Signor Bartolini uses Pasta Delverde. Don't buy the super market brand – it's not good and it will stick to the plate. Remember, quality not quantity. (Note: you do not need too much sauce. In the tomato sauce, the water will evaporate and the sauce will be better and stronger. For tomato sauce, be sure to use Grano Duro pasta.

ROMA tomatoes are the best.

Please share the Arrabiata pasta sauce. AND the nice collection of veal recipes . . .