Riserva Chianti Classico Sangiovese

Another top-notch Garagiste Chianti Classico, this time a Riserva. Nose shows loads of that iron-iodine laced gravel/soil notes, with deep, slightly dried cherry underneath. So soft in the mouth. Loads of flavor but in a medium-weight package. Iodine/mineral flavors cking like crazy, almost getting the dark, dark cherry fruit to tap out. Acids are a little lower than I would have expected. Still some tannin present, but it’s pretty soft. Will certainly improve over the next couple of years.

Decanted, notes from 2 hrs open. Paired with simple pasta with red sauce. Lovely, and not much to add to my last note. Maybe a touch too much bitterness on the palate, but that's a quibble. Yum.

Pop and pour, but could have used a decant. Notes from 1 hr open. On the nose: dried roses, orange peel, dried herbs, raspberry, sandalwood/vanilla. On the palate: solid acidity, building to the mid, where it turns to some nice black pepper spice, wild strawberry, blood orange, and drying, but finely grained and well-integrated tannin on the finish. Nice (drank with pizza).

Working well here this week with chowder and steelhead

Steve had this a year ago

Mieke had this 4 years ago