ITALIA

SOMETHING NEW FROM AN OLD SICILIAN FRIEND

The wines of Calabretta have been a part of our program for a long time. There are a couple of good reasons. One is because the wines are quite good and well represent their Mount Etna origins. But his program also offers a unique perspective in that he holds the wine back until he thinks they are ready to drink. Hence this Calabretta Nerello Mascalese Vigne Vecchie 2014 is the current release.

If you aren’t familiar with Etna, or Calabretto, here’s a brief history. Calabretta’s vineyards are located nearly a half mile above sea level in the black volcanic soils of Etna’s north slope, between Randazzo and Castiglione di Sicilia. There, Calabretta farms roughly seven hectares of mostly 70- to 80-year-old vines—many of them ungrafted—on stepped terraces supported by stone walls.

Since the winery’s founding in 1900, the Calabretta family has farmed and produced wines from Etna’s ancient indigenous varieties—including Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio—in the mountain’s unique noble vineyards layered with a patchwork volcanic soils from various eruptions over the eons. Because of the distinct changes in soils across Etna’s slopes, comparisons are often made to Burgundy.

In fact, Calabretta’s most distinguishing feature is its dedication to long aging, which has stayed the same throughout the family’s history as winegrowers. The Etna Rosso ages much like Barolo and Brunello were aged decades ago, in massive (50- 70-hectoliter) neutral Slavonian oak botti for 6 to 7 years. The vineyard practices sound modern but are in fact rooted in the past. They avoid using chemical pesticides or herbicides, and they harvest by hand, starting around the second week of October. Fermentations are carried out exclusively with wild yeasts.

Here you have a unique combination of this distinctive soils of Etna presented when they are ready to consume, giving you the most complete experience with the genre. The Calabretta Nerello Mascalese Vigne Vecchie 2014 is definitely a stylistic nod to the past and Nerello, with its surprisingly elegant red fruits infused with the minerality and earth notes that are the essence of these ancient volcanic soils as well as spice and floral notes. The wine is full flavored but never heavy, and makes for a compelling accompaniment to hearty Italian fare, grilled meats, or roasted fowl. It’s also important to know that while 2014 wasn’t particularly notable in the northern wine regions (though there were some fans of the Barbarescos), it was an exceptional vintage in Sicily.

GREAT ‘LITTLE’ PINOT GRIGIO FROM AN ELITE SOURCE

Any time one brings up Pinot Grigio, there is bound to be some eye-rolling. A lot of wine types consider the varietal the epitome of pedestrian wine. In truth, there are a lot of over-cropped, banal, commercial examples out there that contribute to the varietal’s poor reputation. But all Pinot Grigios are not created equal. There are a number of sensational, indeed world class renditions from a number of sources in Alto Adige, Collio, and the surrounding high country of northeastern Italy. People like Schiopetto, Cantina Terlano, Venica, and Vie de Romains, to name a few, have been doing sensational work for a long time.

If there is an issue, it’s that most of the best examples can reach into the high $20s or $30s price wise. As you slide down the price ladder, the quality starts to erode as well. That’s not too surprising, but we are constantly on the lookout for sources that can deliver quality like the bigger fish but don’t cost as much. It can be a frustrating journey, but it isn’t a pipe dream. There are some interesting examples our there if you are willing to look.

One we have dabbled with in the past, and that turned in an excellent performance in 2021, is Cantina Adriano. The Cantina Adriano Pinot Grigio 2021 performs a lot like one of the big boys, with a captivating nose of fresh grain, white stone fruits, and stony minerality and a surprisingly unctuous, palate coating mouthfeel. Thin and insipid? Not this one! In this particular case, it’s an example of the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Cantina Adriano is produced by Cantina Terlano, arguably one of the highest performers in the region.

It is a vineyard unto itself. The description in Wine Advocate is “Cantina Andriano (Kellerei Andrian) enjoys a unique position at the point where the Val d’Adige (or the main river valley of Alto Adige) opens toward the south. The area is protected from harsher weather from the north by the rocky Mendola Ridge. Apple orchards blanket the valley floor, and grapevines hug the hillsides at the higher elevations.” But the winemaking under the auspices of Terlano is a key ingredient, we suspect, in this wine’s performance.

The purity of the aromatics and the substance to palate are prime components of all things Terlano and, while this wine doesn’t have quite the power and drive of the Terlano version, it is a delicious example of Pinot Grigio that costs less and outperforms anything we have tasted in its price range. It is a super star in its price range ($16.98). Nice notes from the press as well.

From James Suckling, “This has so much youthful energy, Alpine freshness and lovely juiciness that all make it stand out in the pinot grigio crowd! Very good depth and a really focused, long finish complete the very satisfying picture. Drink now…92 points.

From Wine Advocate’s Monica Larner, “In a bottle with a bright yellow capsule, the 2021 Alto Adige Pinot Grigio is fragrant and fresh with pretty fruit, white peach and summer daisy. The wine is very pleasurable to drink and silky to the palate with tart citrusy notes. Production is an abundant 70,000 bottles, and you get great value…91 points.”

LUCA STRIKES AGAIN-ANOTHER VALUE MOUTHFUL FROM ITALIA

You’ve gotta love Luca Maroni, a somewhat obscure Italian wine critic that publishes only in Italian as far as we have seen. His reviews have set the standard for ‘over the top’ numbers and exotic commentary on relatively inexpensive wines. You could take it at face value and laugh. But it is more relevant that, while he seems to pass out 98s and 99s like Halloween candy, the rare occasions when we have seen a review from him, he has picked winners.

All those years of Montalba’s Ruche wines first came to our attention via a Luca Maroni review (a ‘99’) years ago, and he has consistently supported that label. Masso Antico (another Luca 99) is another find that had a great run and sold well for as long as we had it. Truly the people have spoken and Luca definitely has an audience here. He seems to favor plush, jammy reds at what are surprisingly modest prices and what’s wrong with that?

The Lupo Meraviglia Puglia IGT Tre di Tre 2019 is another juicy number right in Luca’s wheelhouse. A somewhat unusual blend of Primitivo, Aglianico, and Negroamaro from terroirs in Salento that are vinified together and pressed to maximum extraction. It’s that deep extraction, dense fruit, and plush palate feel that it has in common with the other wildly successful recommendations we have sold from Maroni. It appears there is a definite fruit driven style that seem to ring Maroni’s bell and, if our experience is any indication, that profile has a lot of fans out there.

Luca, who was formerly a major contributor to the Tre Bicchieri organization before going his own way and starting his own ratings publication, laid a 98 point score on the Lupo Meraviglia Tre di Tre 2019, . He focuses exclusively on Italian wines, and a score this high define the wine as a quintessential expression of the wine within the context of the varietal and region.

The comments, presumably translated, were presented as this, “Tre di Tre is a blend of Negroamaro, Aglianico, and Primitivo from Puglia. Intense red color. On the nose, aromas of red fruit and jam which merge with sweet and spicy notes of wood. On the palate it shows a great structure and persistence with a pleasant tannic finish.”

Our translation is that the round, jammy style that Luca likes is in full array here and we suspect it should play well with a lot of buyers because of its hedonistic, open style, particularly at its $11.98 price! We did an email on this not long ago but we wanted to remind folks of this tasty, quirky little find because we believe it will be ongoing for a while.

SIGNIFICANT NEW CHIANTI DISCOVERY:

It’s hard for us to believe that there is a Chianti out there that we haven’t seen before, but the Bucciarelli Chianti Classico 2016 is just that. Apparently the property dates back a long ways, having been acquired by one Michelangelo Buonarroti (yes, that Michelangelo) on June 18, 1549. It stayed in the family until 1863. The Buciarelli family, former sharecroppers on the property, acquired it in 1982 and sold their first wine in 1986. The wine is 100% Sangiovese produced certified organic and spontaneously fermented aged in a combination of cement and cask.

We aren’t going to play the Michelanglo thing too hard because the wine really deserves its own spotlight. Located in Castellina in Chianti, it hails from southeast facing vineyards situated 1350 to 1600 feet above sea level with mostly galestro soils with some clay and alberese in the mix. There are elements to this wine that are rather unique and thoroughly captivating. The nose shows a ton of ripe, sweet mulberry fruit along with some forest floor, leather, and some rose notes that one might associate more with Nebbiolo. Plush and very expressive, the mulberry is joined by black cherry in the mouth with a spice and a stony minerality cutting in at the finish. It’s fruit and profile are very different from your typical Chianti but absolutely delicious.

Since we have no prior experience with this label, we can’t compare it to past efforts. We have to presume that coming from one of the greatest vintages in Tuscany (2016) in our lifetime probably didn’t hurt. As to press, we found nothing except a few very old reviews from Wine Spectator prior to 2005. They only produce 1000-1500 cases per year so we don’t think you’ll see it at your local grocery store, either. You’ll have to trust us on this one, but this is quite a find!

SIMPLY A GREAT, GO-TO, VALUE RED

We’ve been pretty open about how we go about things here and, most relevant to this discussion, my friends, are things that concern us in the big picture. One of them is ‘noise’. We were among the first in the wine biz to do extensive e-marketing, but these days there are lots of establishments trying their hand at it. Our concern is that, with everyone feeling they need to say whatever they are offering is the greatest ever, perspective goes out the window.

On top of that, the ‘score inflation’ we alluded to years ago has only gotten worse. As more critics are coming online and dishing out ever higher scores so they can be noticed and, more importantly, quoted, the solid, perfectly respectable low-90s reviews on value wines seem to have considerably less impact than they did a few years ago. It seems at times even $10 wines are expected to generate mid-90s reviews or the consumer is unmoved. That is the result of score inflation.

We’ve have always tried to temper our rhetoric to fit the situation. Eventually, we feel, if you say everything is the greatest of all time, you will eventually lose your credibility. So forgive us if we are going to simply say that this is a delicious, imminently quaffable, well constructed red that is versatile with a wide array of foods but can be enjoyed by itself for its charming, fruit driven demeanor and it’s a particularly palatable value as well.

The wine we are talking about in this case is the Petra IGT Toscana Zingari 2018. We did a larger scaled offering on the on the Zingari 2017 replete with email and dueling 93 point scores from Wine Spectator and James Suckling. Truth be told, the 2018 might be a little juicier and certainly fills the role of well-priced, go-to red quite nicely.

Petra has their whole range of high-end gear as well, anchored by their flagship $90 bottling. But what has captured the fancy of the wine-buying public is this exceptional value from their estate vineyards, what was once an experiment has turned into something altogether different.

Petra is considered one of the more progressive wineries in Tuscany. It was founded in 1997 in Suvereto’s Val di Cornia (Maremma) by Vittorio Moretti and his daughter Francesca, encompassing a 700+ acre estate, a third of which is planted with vineyards. The winery sits hundreds of feet underground with a tunnel-like wine cellar.

What started as an experiment has turned into one of the better red wine values you will find. Zingari was originally proposed as a fun, experimental wine to see how Syrah, Merlot, Sangiovese and Petit Verdot all worked together in their younger estate vineyards (now 16 years old). The results were promising and the wine was officially commercialized. The rest is history. The 2015 garnered a 92 from Wine Spectator and the 2017 was the double-93 ‘coming out party’.

But as we know, scores can come and go, as can reviewers. On any given day, the same wine can get a different score from the same source based on a broad array of unrelated factors. But the folks at Petra are still doing outstanding work in the value arena and with think this 2018 is at least as good as last year’s version, maybe better.

The blend in 2018 is again Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah and Petit Verdot aged in a combination of larger barrels and smaller French barriques prior to bottling. The wine is joyful, exuberant, bright, and captures both the ripeness of the harvest as well as lift from the nighttime cooling coastal breezes.

We can provide a score and a nice review on the Petra IGT Toscano Zingari 2018 from James Suckling, “A fresh, vivid red with cherries, currants and hints of hazelnuts and chocolate. Medium body. Racy finish. Like the vivid acidity that runs through this. Drink or hold…92 Points.”

But at $14.98, value plays in somewhere and, in this case, on virtually ‘any given day’, this wine will deliver plenty of personality and play nicely alongside most anything you have in mind. Ultimately that is the point. At this kind of price there aren’t a lot of choices beyond soulless, mass marketed juice. This one has some flair and personality. Easy choice.

STRIKING, LATE BREAKING 2016 CHIANTI RISERVA

We haven’t had the occasion to talk a lot about Tuscan 2016s very much of late. Sadly, the bulk of them have pretty much passed through the market. But we aren’t so far along that the possibility of something popping up has totally passed. That said, a brief reminder that we think 2016 in Tuscany is one of, if not the best vintage we have experienced in our four decades of doing this.

The Bindi Sergardi Chianti Classico Riserva I Colli 2016 isn’t a label we are intimately familiar with though we have carried a few examples over the years. But we don’t remember anything quite like this one. This is definitely the ‘home run’ version, a Chianti with driving, ample, outgoing fruit, and an array of gorgeous notes of sour cherry, earth, wild herbs, chocolate, and spice. This is a Chianti that is big on flavor but still poised to support food with a measured underpinning of acidity that pushes the wine across the palate.

This shows everything that gets us ranting about 2016, great fruit, superb balance, great presence on the palate, and the unmistakable impression that there are a couple of gears the wine has yet to reveal. It’s all here and, in truth, this was one of the easier calls because there was plenty going on right up front.

While they may not be among the best known names in Chianti in the American market, they have certainly put in their time. Located just outside Siena, the family claims the “I Colli estate represents the history and soul of 23 generations of the Bindi Sergardi family, which built this hamlet at the end of the 1400s.”

They certainly got dealt a winning hand in 2016, and they have the critical acclaim to prove it. From WIne Spectator, “This is bright and linear in profile, displaying cherry, strawberry, bitter almond, earth, iron and tobacco flavors. Balanced and taut, lingering with a mix of fruit, mineral and savory elements. Best from 2022 through 2043…93 points.”

This wine impressed us right out of the gate and we are probably more on the level of enthusiasm of James Suckling, who wrote, “Aromas of raspberries, sour cherries, dates, chocolate, dried herbs and five spice. Medium- to full-bodied with fine tannins and a creamy, velvety texture. Layered and balanced with a caressing feel. Long, spicy and savory finish. Drink now or hold…95 points.“

An exceptional effort in a traditional style from a historic harvest, an exciting find this late in the game.

BOLGHERI FOR THE PEOPLE

Bolgheri, near the Tuscan Coast, is the source of some of Italy’s most compelling wines. It is also a unique area in which Bordeaux varietals thrive and create polished, stylish reds that are a category unto themselves. Solaia, Orenallaia, and Sassicaia are some often first names that come to mind. Later to the game was Antinori’s Guado Al Tasso. While we are as much of a fan of the ‘big dogs’ as anyone, they don’t come cheap. That’s why when they rolled out the Antinori Il Brucato, good Bolgheri on a budget, we were excited.

It gets the royal treatment. Upon arrival in the cellar, the selected clusters for Il Bruciato were destemmed and gently crushed. Fermentation and maceration on the skins took place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. A portion of the Merlot and Syrah musts were kept at lower temperatures during fermentation to better preserve each grape variety’s distinctive aromas. Part of malolactic fermentation took place in barriques and part in stainless steel tanks and was completed by the end of the year for all grape varieties. Subsequently, Cabernet Sauvignon was blended with Merlot, Syrah, and a small percentage of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot then put back into barriques where it was left to age before bottling.

Curiously, the first vintage of this ‘junior Guado’ was made in 2002, one of the worst vintages in Tuscany in the last few decades. We’ve sold it since its initial release here and have carried most vintages since. Always a solid performer, we must admit we haven’t been as thrilled with the wine as we were in the early days relative to other choices, probably in part because we see much more really cutting edge Italian wine on the market now. The press seems to indicate that the recent versions were definitely on an upward trend from the early offering. That said, the 2020 Antinori Guado Al Tasso Il Bruciato is the most interesting version we have tasted in a long time.

The description from Advocate’s Monica Larner make the point, “I tasted the Guado al Tasso 2020 Bolgheri Rosso Il Bruciato from barrel, but the wine will hit the market in September of this year. Compared to the previous vintage, this edition is richer and slightly denser with nicely concentrated fruit. That extra textural support is a characteristic of this fortunate vintage. This accessible blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah offers tight mineral notes, toasted spice, almond and lots of dark, luscious fruit. To the palate, the wine exhibits softly caressing tannins…93 points.”

Also from James Suckling, ” Aromas of sage and currants with blackberries follow through to a full body with intense, round tannins that are nicely crafted. Fresh, flavorful finish. Some dried herbs at the end with a slightly grilled-meat undertone. Drinkable now, but better in two or three years…93 points.”

The $26.98 fare is certainly quite reasonable for something from this prized terroir.

A UNIQUELY COMPELLING ORANGE WINE

We’ll be the first to admit that we aren’t always ‘hip’ to certain wine trends. Our focus is on wines that are appealing in some manner, and we have a pretty wide ‘band’ in that respect. There aren’t many categories where we can’t find something compelling. But there are a couple of places where we have a little trouble understanding why the category gained popularity in the first place. We have written a lot about ‘nautral wines’ and how fans of this genre seem perfectly willing to overlook serious flaws in some of the individual wines to participate in the trend.

Although we haven’t been nearly as vocal, we kind of feel the same way about ‘orange wines’. While we have a certain appreciation for the intent of the genre, and can respectfully point to producers like Gravner that pioneered and continue to champion this niche style, there are far too many examples out there where the wines are oxidized and dull.

Given that the world continues to support the genre, it is our task to find those special examples that not only showcase the nuances and style that represent the category, but are focused, fresh, and lifted in the glass as well. You may have noticed we don’t address the subject all that often, but the Caravaglio Malvasia Secca Isola de Salina Occhio Di Terra 2020 is definitely something special because it exhibits the style and nuance of the genre, but does so in an appealing, drinkable wine.

The wine is 100% Malvasia from Salina and Lipari, islands off the Sicilian Coast. On the volcanic island of Salina, organic vineyards sit from 600 to 1,200 feet above sea level in the Malfa district (the highest quality vinegrowing area) with a view of the Mediterranean. Soils are a mix of volcanic sand and rock. This wine is a special selection of the ripest Malvasia grapes from vines that 20 to 30 years of age. The grapes are hand harvested and sorted in the field. Gentle, temperature-controlled maceration occurs for 10 days before pressing. The juice is fermented on indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks where it remains for six months.

You have the best of both worlds in the glass. There’s the unique textural aspects and curiously appealing, grainy mouthfeel that is something of a standard in orange wines. But the wine then takes a turn that lifts the whole experience for us. There are aromas of preserved lemons, yellow peach, pineapple, and the unmistakable influence of the sea. The wine itself is dry and a little nutty, but then there is an underlying acidity that keeps everything lifted and fresh. We don’t go looking for orange wine, though we understand it is a category with a following and we’ll taste whatever we are presented. We reject a number of them, but we’d recommend this one as an example of what the category can be, and at a price ($22.98) that makes a lot of sense as well.

Wine Advocate’s Monica Larner conveys the message nicely, “Here’s an exciting discovery. The Caravaglio 2020 Malvasia Occhio di Terra is for sure one of the most interesting wines, from a tasting perspective and an intellectual one, that I discovered on the Aeolian Islands. This Malvasia sees prolonged skin contact in above-ground amphorae. No commercial yeasts are added, and the wine ages on the fine lees for six months, showing us that Malvasia has the fiber and the power to submit to this hands-off winemaking approach. It opens to a medium golden color with lots of ambient light. The aromas are fragrant and rich, covering a wide range, with tea leaf, saffron, apricot and rose. There is also something very Sicilian here that recalls the sweet fruits used in the island’s best desserts… 93 Points.”

DELICIOUS ‘SLEEPER’ BARBARESCO

Given our experience, we can tell you a thing or two about the big reds of Piedmont. First, most folks are content to get into the game when a highly regarded vintage comes along. Relative to that, as we are on the downside of the heralded 2016 vintage, you might want to take a last glance at the remaining 2016 Barolos and Barbarescos. This was a special vintage even among the high success rate in Piedmont over the last decade or so.

We’d also point out that the producers make wine every year and not every harvest becomes a vintage of the century in the eyes of the market. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t any worthwhile efforts, just that the ‘hit ratio’ might be a bit lower. One can find some pretty thrilling wines in most vintages provided they take the time to look. The Nada Barbaresco Casot 2018 is an excellent example of what we are talking about.

It’s easy to miss little gems like this. This is a small family estate is brought in by a small importer, and the 2018 vintage, while good, isn’t going to get the attention of, say, 2010, 2015, or 2016 from a ‘historic’ standpoint. Still, we did our due diligence and were quite pleased to find this elegant, delightful little spice-box of a single vineyard-Barbaresco at a rather attractive price ( it sells for less than the entry-level bottling from Produttori di Barbaresco by $8). As such, it deserves to get some of your attention.

Azienda Agricola Nada Giuseppe was started in 1900, with a vineyard in Casot purchased from a Gaja. In 1964 Giuseppe’s father, Antonio, made the risky decision to begin to estate bottle a part of his production, requiring him to invest in a small winery (he put it in the basement of that house on the Casot hillside). It was a prescient move as, in 1966, the DOC of Barbaresco, named after one of the three villages in the appellation, became established.

These days, Giuseppe and Nella stay fit maintaining the vineyards where they do practically all of the work, while their daughter Barbara manages the office and their son Enrico oversees the wine production down in the cellar. Enrico took the reins in 2008. The additions of SO2 have been greatly reduced and only a light filtration (no fining) is performed in the cellar. The farming has steadily moved to organic and most of the estate is certified organic now.

Packed with a high-toned, very Nebbiolo character, bursting with spicy red fruits and supported by fine but giving tannins, this Casot is an expressive and appealing example of the genre, exhibiting all of the best traits. As the Wine Advocate review alludes, the appeal was definitely immediate but also lasting. It can age, but it doesn’t necessarily need to. The 2018 vintage overall is a lovely, round, accessible vintage that maybe doesn’t have the gravitas or media attention of 2016, but still should not be ignored because of wines like this. At this price, the Casot is a true sleeper.

From Monica Larner of Wine Advocate, “The 2018 Barbaresco Casot is a fragrant and immediate wine that shows a good amount of ripeness and richness up front. This was a cool vintage overall, although the fruit ripened quickly toward the end of the growing season. There are sweet cherry aromas with spice and licorice. The wine drapes over the palate with silky and smooth intensity. The Casot vineyard is distinguished by layers of bluish tufo soil and layers of looser sand…93 points.”

DONNA LAURA CHIANTI RISERVA ALTEO 2018

We’ve done our part over the years to raise the image of Chianti from the straw fiasco bottles to a wine that should be taken seriously, and a number of high-performing producers have given us the vinous tools to make that point. But a number of scenarios call for a Chianti to simply be that tasty, honest bottle to grab to foil a plate of pasta, risotto, or any one of a number of red wine dishes. It’s important to know who the players are in an important wine area like Chianti. But it is equally important to find quality options for that go-to, guilt-free, ‘house pour’ category as well. It just isn’t as easy to find viable value options that live up to our standards. Donna Laura Chianti Riserva Alteo 2018 is one that does.

The back story here is that the current proprietress of Tolaini, Lia Tolaini Banville, was greatly inspired by her aunt, Laura. The story goes that Banville, on a summer holiday traveling from her birthplace in Canada to her ancestral home outside the city of Lucca at the age of six, Lia met her Aunt Laura for the first time who would become a driving force in her life.

So why are we talking about Lia Totaini-Banville, owner of Banville importing and quality oriented Tolaini estate that produces a number of wines including highly reviewed Legit Cabernet? Well the name Donna Laura is a tribute to her aunt, but this Chianti is produced by Lia. As they tell it, “In 2004 an opportunity arose to write a new chapter in the story, this time at Tolaini Winery in Castelnuovo Berardenga with the production of Lia’s own wine label Donna Laura. A loving tribute to the woman whose lessons of family, tradition and honor would share double billing with Lia’s own heritage…”

We had no idea about the connection at the time we tasted it, but that is a pretty significant demonstration of how the work of quality producers somehow shines through. The Sangiovese grapes for the Alteo (a mashup of the names of Lia’s sons Alessandro and Matteo) are selected in Donna Laura’s vineyards in Castelnuovo Berardenga, one of Chianti’s ‘sweet spots’. They are carefully destemmed in the winery and put immediately into steel vats without crushing. The must is kept in contact with the skins for about 20 days with pumping over every 10 hours and 1 delestage a week.

Chiantis in this price range often suffer from being acidic or undernourished. This is neither, with a lovely, cohesive roundness from front to back to the currant and classic cherry fruit laced with floral notes and a touch of earth. It is a perfect demonstration why you seek little wines made by very conscientious producers as opposed to someone putting together a ‘blend’ to hit a ‘price point’. It’s all about intent. We’ll take it easy on the adjectives but it fulfills its mission nicely, a pleasing, easy drinking, soulful, surprisingly successful ‘riserva’ offering of Chianti from top terroir at a very modest ($11.98) price. You don’t have to tell anyone it cost so little.