Best Chianti Wine
Wine connoisseurs worldwide often consider Chianti one of the best types of wine available. What makes Chianti unique, and why should you consider adding it to your wine collection?
Chianti wine is among the most famous wines in the world. Its origins date back to 1398 when it was mentioned for the first time in a document dated May 9th, 1398. A simple recipe of four ingredients: grapes, sunshine, care, and love. Ingredients that are still used nowadays to produce Chianti Classico wine.
With its unique taste, which varies depending on where they are grown or produced, there are over 100 DOCGs related to this noble red wine. Lets check some of the best Chianti wines available on the market today.
Top 5 Chiantis Wines
Here are our list of Chianti Classico reviews that prove you can find excellent quality at attainable prices.
1. Giacomo Mori Palazzone Chianti DOCG
Price – $15
A blend of Sangiovese at 85%, Canaiolo 10%, Colorino 5 %, Mammolo 1%. The wine is aged 18 months in oak barriques, 30% of which are new.
A deep cherry red color with brick-colored hues, its fragrances are intense and complex, recalling cherries preserved in alcohol, high-quality cocoa powder, and truffles. The palate is full-bodied with round tannins, giving exceptional wine richness.
Taste
Intense aromas of ripe red cherries are accompanied by exotic fruit notes reminiscent of plums and dried figs, vanilla from American oak barrels, and a subtle hint of licorice.
2. Isole E Olena Chianti Classico DOCG
Price – $26
A blend of Sangiovese at 65% with Cabernet Sauvignon and Colorino each at 15%. The wine is aged 24 months in oak barriques, 30% of which are new.
A vibrant garnet-red color, this wine has an elegant bouquet of red fruit preserves and wild berries combined with subtle notes of smoke and cocoa powder. Rich and well structured on the palate.”
Taste
The nose shows sweet spices and ripe berry aromas. The palate displays a touch of acidity that enhances its flavor and makes it wonderfully drinkable.
3. Casa Marengo Toscano Chianti Classico Superiore
Price – $15
This wine is a Sangiovese-based blend of 80% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo and 10% Colorino.
The grapes are grown on the hillside vineyards at 350 m (1,150 ft) above sea level in an area known as “Il Piano dei Castellare. The wine is aged for 12 months in oak barriques, 20% new. “A deep red cherry color with hues of garnet, its fragrances are intense and complex including hints of cherries preserved in alcohol along with notes of dark chocolate.”
Taste
On the palate, it has a good body enhanced by soft tannins that give it great drinkability, and it finishes with a clean, fresh aftertaste of ripe fruit.”
4. Marchesi Frescobaldi Tenuta Perano Chianti Classico DOCG
Price – $25
A Sangiovese-based blend with 10% Canaiolo and 5% Colorino.
The grapes are harvested at 4,000 ft (1,200 m) in an area between Radda, Gaiole, and Castellina known as “La Perano.” The wine is aged for 16 months in oak barrels, 50% new. An intense ruby red colour with charming scents of mature blackberries are combined with fine hints of violet.
Taste
The palate is warm with sweet balsamic notes on the finish complementing its pleasant aftertaste of ripe fruit.
5. Felsina Berardenga Rancia Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2016
Price – $25
The blend consists of 50% Sangiovese and 50% Canaiolo Nero. The grapes are harvested at 400 metres above sea level, on soils rich in marl and limestone.
This wine is referred to as “Rancia” and pays homage to the family name Rancia. The grapes are harvested at high altitudes between 900 and 1,100 metres above sea level yielding a small quantity of only 40 hl/ha. The wine is aged for 15 months in oak barrels, 30% new.
Taste
The palate is warm with a full body and good acidity creating an excellent balance that lingers on the finish due to its pleasant spicy notes from extended contact with wood during ageing. With a dark red colour with intense aromas of ripe blackberry and cherry.
About Chianti wine
Chianti wine color
Chianti is a lightly sparkling, bright red wine that has become one of the world’s best wines. It hails from Tuscany in Central Italy and is made primarily with the Sangiovese grape.
Chianti’s color is primarily a deep, pinkish-red “Bordeaux” shade different from the darker, garnet red of other Italian red wines such as Barolo. This wine has become so popular in the United States that it is often referred to simply as “Chianti.”
Chianti wine grape
It is a world-famous Italian wine made from three to five grape varieties grown in the hills around Siena, Tuscany.
Chianti Wine Classification
There are two main categories of Chianti wine: DOC and DOCG. DOC wines must be made from a blend of at least 70% Sangiovese grapes, while DOCG wines must come from Florence’s traditional Chianti production area.
In addition, there are two subcategories of Chianti DOC: Chianti Classico and Chianti Colli Senesi. The former must come from the conventional Chianti production area, while the latter can be made in any part of Tuscany.
Food pairing
In terms of food pairing, Chianti is a versatile wine that pairs well with various dishes, from antipasti and pasta to meat and poultry.
Some of the most popular dishes to enjoy with Chianti include pizza, spaghetti carbonara, roast pork, and lamb chops.
How to best enjoy Chianti Wine
Chianti wines are usually medium-bodied with a fruity flavor and soft tannins. They are best enjoyed within 3-5 years of vintage, although some Chianti Classico wines can be cellar for up to 10 years.
- Firstly, let the wine breathe! Open it up for about 30 minutes before you taste it. Many wines, especially reds, improve with aging after they are opened up.
- And second, we look at the color of the wine because it usually reflects how much aging has occurred. If you see deep ruby red color, this means 6 months or more of aging, which isn’t too bad because some producers let their wines rest even longer than that!
So if your Chianti is deep in color, it’s OK to go ahead and taste it. In any case, pour a glass for yourself and let the rest of the bottle breathe as you drink it over dinner.
Final words
With so many different varieties on the market, choosing which chianti best suits your taste can be a bit overwhelming. As with most wines, what you like to drink will depend on how it tastes to you, but knowing the types of chianti available might help narrow down your choices before trying them out for yourself.
So we hope this list will help you pick the best Chianti wine. Cheers !
