| I remember Chianti decades ago. It came in | | | | dry, medium bodied with well-balanced acidity and |
| straw-covered bottles and was often as not | | | | tannins on finish. Serving Suggestion: Try with |
| consumed in Italian restaurants sporting red and | | | | pasta with game sauce, risotto, roasted veal, or |
| white checkered tablecloths. Perhaps as a | | | | bistecca fiorentina. And now for my review. |
| forerunner to greener times, tmpty bottles were | | | | At the first sip the wine was mouth filling but a bit |
| converted into lamps or simply stoppered with a | | | | short. This was no $25 Chianti - did I really think |
| candle. Back in those days Italian law stipulated | | | | that it would be one? The first pairing was with a |
| that Chianti contain a minimum percentage of | | | | shepherd's pie. The wine was fruity and showed |
| white Tuscan grapes. Nobody except the vintners | | | | notes of tobacco. During the first sips the wine |
| knew and nobody cared that Chianti was perhaps | | | | was short. Then I added a green jalapeño |
| the prime method of getting rid of those white | | | | pepper mix. The Chianti became more intense but |
| grapes of dubious quality. The wine was red, in | | | | lost some fruit. |
| fact for many people it was the red wine parallel | | | | The second pairing included a barbecued chicken |
| to the Portuguese rosé Mateus and the | | | | leg with the paprika dusted skin on, potato |
| German white Liebfraumilch. Times have changed | | | | patties, and a tomato salsa. The wine really cut |
| and Chianti now boasts Italy's top wine | | | | the grease. It was pleasant with nice round |
| designation, DOCG, which in spite of the word | | | | tannins and tasted of tobacco and black cherries. |
| Garantita, is no guarantee of quality. Admittedly, I | | | | It was better with the greasy barbecue than with |
| did feel some excitement at opening the pink | | | | the acidic salsa. I had a few sweet and sour |
| ribbon that only DOCG red wines may carry. | | | | barbecued chicken wings as well. The wine traded |
| This particular wine is 85% Sangiovese and 15% a | | | | some of its fruit for more tobacco. |
| combination of a local red grape Canaiolo and the | | | | The final meal included barbecued spare ribs. The |
| international red grape Merlot. The producer | | | | Chianti was nicely acidic and chewy tasting of |
| Straccali has been in business since 1925 and the | | | | chocolate and dark fruits. I tasted some oak. It |
| grapes are hand picked. What more could | | | | cut the grease of the accompanying potatoes |
| someone want? But is it possible to get a fine | | | | roasted in chicken fat. |
| wine from a well-known and hardly inexpensive | | | | In the presence of the first cheese, a marbled |
| wine region for $10 (less if you shop around in the | | | | Cheddar, the wine was fruity with a note of |
| United States)? | | | | tobacco. When faced with a Mozzarella, I tasted |
| OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we | | | | the oak and black cherries. |
| taste and review are purchased at the full retail | | | | Final verdict. I would buy this wine again, especially |
| price. | | | | if I could get it at a bargain price. But it doesn't |
| Wine Reviewed: | | | | deserve Italy's finest wine classification. By the |
| Straccali Chianti DOCG 2007 12.5 % alcohol about | | | | way, Tuscany is home to many wines at five to |
| $10 | | | | ten times the price that hold the lowly IGT |
| Let's start with the marketing materials. Tasting | | | | classification. We won't be reviewing them here. |
| Note: Medium ruby red color; aromas and flavors | | | | And unless the economy really rebounds, we |
| of cherry and strawberry, with dried herb note; | | | | won't be reviewing them at all. |