2011 Fattoria del Cerro VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO (Tuscany, Italy)

One of the best Vino Nobiles I've had in years.  Balanced and full-flavored.  Drinking well now but with structure to age for 5 more years.

Pure, deep, dense ruby with purply highlights still.  Deep, ripe nose of dark ripe cherries, dried cherry, and ripe blackberry, all augmented with a prominent gravelly, minerally component that always says "Tuscany" to me.  Low-toned, dark ripe berry fruit and dense, iodine-tinged minerals fill the mouth quickly, and take a long time to leave.  Decent acidity, and loads of soft tannin.  A-.  Imported by Vias Imports, NYC.  Got this for a great price ($15.99) from Last Bottle.

2009 Marchesi de Frescobaldi Nipozzano CHIANTI RUFINA RISERVA (Tuscany, Italy)

This is a very reliable wine that is always well-made and a good value.  The 2009 is reflective of the ripe, easy-going nature of the vintage in Tuscany.  A nice amalgam of of red fruits, subtle oak, and deep, gravelly minerality.

Medium deep blackish ruby with some brickishness. Low-toned nose of dark cherries, baking spice, and dark, gravelly minerals.  Mouthfilling and smooth, the wine has a flowing texture that slowly reveals a substantial amount of soft tannin.  Good weight and density. Acidity is relatively low, like many of the '09s.  This will drink well for the next 2-3 years, but it's not for long ageing.  B+.  I got this as a gift, but I think it's available for as low as $18 in some stores.  Imported by Folio Wine Partners.

2009 Vecchia Cantina VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO (Tuscany, Italy)

I have never had great luck with Vino Nobiles.  They tend not to be great values, and I think many are basically clumsy relations of Chianti Classico.  But this one, produced by a co-op in the region, was reasonably priced and has very nice fruit and balance.

Dark ruby color.  Nice nose of macerated cherries, tobacco leaf, lemon zest, and gravel.  Lots of dark cherry fruit in the mouth, with a hint of unsweetened cocoa powder and lots of stony minerals.  Full-bodied, with loads of dusty tannins providing a nice framework for some additional aging.  Bright acids keep it fresh.  A touch of bitterness in the finish.  Would be excellent with meat-sauced pasta.  B+.  Was $15.99 from WTSO.com.  Imported  by Superior Wines, Cranford, NJ.

2009 Viticcio CHIANTI CLASSICO (Tuscany, Italy)

This is a textbook Chianti Classico.  And I got this for a song on sale (I bought a case for a price that netted out at $10.50/bottle, including shipping, from zachys.com on a close-out!).  I am an unabashed fan of the wines from this estate.

Very black-tinged ruby.  Lively nose of red berries, tangy rich cherries, and a whiff of dry, dusty gravel.  Smacks the mouth with ripe, zingy red fruits, wine-soaked gravel, and stony minerals.  Very nice acids and well-integrated soft tannin keep the mouthfeel interesting.  Nice length.  Just a pleasure to drink.  It's textbook Chianti Classico, which means not only is it fun to drink but it also will go well with a wide variety of foods.  B+/A-.  Will keep for at least another 2-3 years.  Imported by Massanois Imports, Washington DC.

2009 Savignola Paolina CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA (Tuscany, Italy)

A darker-styled, minerally, low-toned Chianti.  Tending towards Brunello in style.  I usually am partial to the leaner, brighter, cherryish style, but this is still very nice.

Very dark black ruby color.  Very subtle nose of dark cherry/plum brandy, high-toned wood smoke, and schisty minerals.  Dark, clingy, and very minerally in the mouth.  Full-bodied, with a good amount of fine-grained tannins.  A roasted pine/rosemary resinous note lingers at the end of the finish.  B+.  While the higher-toned style of Chianti would be fine accompaniments to tomato-sauced pasta dishes and meat and tomato braises, this is a wine for grilled steaks or lamb chops.  Was $18.99 from WTSO.com.  Imported by Superior Wines, Cranford, NJ.

2009 Vignavecchia CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA (Tuscany, Italy)

Big and intense, this wine is not as elegant and precise as the excellent 2007 Riserva from this producer.  But it's still good.

Dark black ruby color.  Low-toned nose of ripe cherry and plummy fruit, some slightly scorchy minerality, and underbrush.  Dark and brooding in the mouth, with scorched earth driving the car and dark cherries in the back seat.  Acidity is pretty good for such a full-bodied wine, but it seems a bit unintegrated.  A bit bitter in the finish.  Not elegant, but doesn't skimp on bruising flavor and intensity.  B.  Was $19 from WTSO.com.  Imported by Superior Wines, Cranford, NJ.

2009 AnimaLibera MORELLINO DI SCANSANO (Tuscany, Italy)

This is a very outgoing Sangiovese, showing the darker side of the varietal.  Fully mature, however, or even a bit past its prime, so it needs to be drunk up.

Dark ruby with tawny hues.  Scorched earthy and closed at first pour, it quickly opened up to show a nose of deep-toned dark cherry fruit and an intense minerally streak.  The next day, the fruit was beginning to fade and be replaced with medicinal and oxidized notes on the nose.  Full-bodied yet quite soft, the wine has a very nice texture.  Not sure if it's just ageing rapidly or whether it was a bit heat-damaged.  Either way, I get the sense that this was better several months ago.  B on the first day. B-/C+ on the second.  Was $9.99 from WTSO.com.  Imported by Superior Wines, Cranford, NJ.

UPDATE (2/8/14):  subsequent bottles are oxidizing fast.  Using my remaining two bottles for cooking.  Revising score to D.  No excuse for making a Sangiovese that tanks this fast.  My comment about "fully mature" above?  Forget that.  This one's at the retirement home and too tired even for shuffleboard.

2007 Vignavecchia CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA "Odoardo Beccari" (Tuscany, Italy)

A Chianti that thinks it's a Brunello.  I happen to like Chiantis that think they're Chiantis, but this is pretty good anyway.  Vignavecchia's str
aight CCR is, to my taste, more typical and more pleasurable.

Very dark black ruby.  On the first night, the nose and flavors were so closed, it wasn't particularly pleasurable.  All I got was dark, scorchy stuff. Night 2, after 24 hours under a Vacu-Vin enclosure, it was much better, much more open.  Still dark and relatively burly, but nice.  Very Brunello-ish.  Nose of charcoal, dark gravelly minerals, and scorched blackberry.  Very rich and tannic, with low-toned very scorched gravelly minerals and loads of sultry blackberry skins in the mouth.  A bit too much smoky oak, but pretty good.  Very full.  Still needs time to soften out.  Give it another year or two.  B.  I think I paid around $23 for this from WTSO.com over a year ago.  Imported by Superior Wines, Cranford, NJ.

2008 Castello di Bibbione CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA (Tuscany, Italy)

A very large-framed, delicious Sangiovese.  Color, body, tannins, acids.  This is a wine that hits the gym.

Luxurious-looking saturated dark ruby.  Rich nose of tangy but ripe black raspberries and black cherries, with sweet-scented smoky-gravelly notes.  Mouthfilling dark cherry fruit, quickly molting into loads of chalky, stony minerals.  Bone dry, with lots of fine-grained tannin and lots acidity, giving it a lean, muscular, very vigorous mouthfeel.  Lots of crushed stones as the finish resolves.  A-.  Youthful but starting to drink very well now, this wine will improve over the next three years in a cool cellar.  Was $18.99 from WTSO.com, which is cheap for a CC Riserva.  Imported by Castelli del Gevepesa, Manhasset, NY.

2009 Savignola Paolina CHIANTI CLASSICO (Tuscany, Italy)

This is a very easy-drinking, soft, but flavorful Chianti.  A pretty good value.  Great for weeknight or casual Italian dinners.  Atypical, but very good.

Fairly dark (for a Chianti) blackish ruby.  A lower-toned nose than is usual for a Chianti, featuring dark-roasted minerally notes battling for equal attention with dark cherry fruit, and a light note of menthol in there too.  Low-toned in the mouth too, with lots of dark, earthy, gravelly minerals, a dark chocolatey note (where's that coming from in a Chianti?).  Medium full body, and lowish acidity.  A fluid and very velvety mouthfeel is this wine's best feature.  It's a B+ if you're not detracting points for atypicality.  Was $14.99 from WTSO.com.  Imported by Superior Wines, Cranford, NJ.

(Sorry, 2008 depicted).

(One more thing:  drink this before the summer of 2013.)

Update (1/20/13):  A second bottle seems a little more advanced, and I'd give it a B.

2008 Ambra CARMIGNANO "Santa Cristina in Pilli" (Tuscany, Italy)

Disappointing.  I haven't had an exciting Carmigniano in decades.  Bad luck I guess.  This was deeply colored, but with a dried out flavor profile.

Dark ruby/garnet color.  Nose had a little dried cherry/prune-tinged fruit, but is mostly dominated by crackly old dried leaves aromas.  In the mouth, it's austere and mostly dried out, with only a fleeting hint of fruit.  The finish basically consists of vanishing flavors and lingering dry, leafy flavored tannin.  D+.  Was $19.99 at The Italian Store in Arlington.  Imported by the usually dependable deGarzia Imports.  Avoid at any price . . . it's just not very pleasant.

2009 Felsina Berardenga CHIANTI CLASSICO (Tuscany, Italy)

A tangy, lean, but interesting Chianti.

Dark, blackish ruby with a brick tinge.  Nose features sour cherry fruit, fruitcake, and lots of gravelly minerals.  Lean and long in the mouth.  Lots of soft tannin and acid, and bone dry flavors of tart cherry and mineral that cling to the palate.  It went very nicely with a Tuscan braised meatloaf, but definitely needed the food to round out the lean texture.  B.

Was $9.99 for a 375 ml (half bottle) from Winex.com.  Imported by Wine Warehouse, Commerce, Cal.

2010 Fattoria Vignavecchia CHIANTI CLASSICO (Tuscany, Italy)

A direct, lively, fruity, balanced, and flavorful entry level Chianti Classico.  A good value wine to stockpile for weekday pasta dinners.

Surprisingly extracted black, black ruby color.  Loads of youthful black cherry fruit and minerals on the nose.  No hint of oak here, just pure fruit and stones.  Decent weight, and a good, linear attack.  A fair amount of tannin, as well as good acids.  This will soften and get more fragrant over the next two years.  B. Was $12.99 from WTSO.com, making it a really good value.  Imported by Superior Wines, Cranford, NJ.

2007 Col d'Orcia ROSSO DI MONTALCINO "Banditella" (Tuscany, Italy)

One of the best, and best value Rosso di Montalcinos I've had.  Fragrant, deep, ripe, complex, and textured.

Very saturated black ruby/garnet with brick edges.  Deep, very ripe blackberry and plummy fruit together with loads of fragrant gravel and minerals on the nose.  Intense, deep-toned flavors of pungent graphite-laced earth and bone-dry essence of blackberry extract.  Lots of medium fine-grained tannins and full body give lots of oomph, and the finish is long and chewy.  I can't imagine this improving much, so drink over the next 18 months.  A-.  Was $14.99 from WTSO.com.  Imported by Palm Bay International, Boca Raton, FL.

2007 la Maia Lina CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA (Tuscany, Italy)

A solid Chianti with good depth of flavor and balance but a little shy on the nose.

Deep, youthful, vibrant dark ruby color.  Fantastic nose that I wish was a bit more animated, but as it is it shows rich, ripe, sweet cherry extract, warm gravel, and a bit of lemon juice.  Rich and mouthfilling, with deep cherry fruit and a nice, clean, minerally earthiness.  Lots of soft tannin and good acidity add structure and balance, and the finish is long.  Not a classically-built, old-school Chianti, but a very good example of the modern style.  A-/B+.  Was $13.99 from winex.com, making it a very good value.  Imported by Domaine Select Wine Estates, NYC.

2004 La Lecciaia BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO RISERVA (Tuscany, Italy)

A big, earthy Brunello that, on the first night, almost seemed over the hill.  But I put it under a Vacu-Vin for a night, and on night two it seemed more youthful, with more fruit showing through.  That indicates this wine probably needs to be decanted for a few hours on the first night it's opened in order to shine.

Dark, very brickish red color.  Medium intensity nose of underbrush, warm sandstone, and dark winey black cherry syrup.  Intense, broad, and mouthfilling.  Loads of dark, rich roasted cherry fruit and earthy sandstone notes coat the mouth.  Loads of soft tannin and pretty decent acidity.  Long finish.  A bit earthier in style than I prefer, but those who like this side of Brunello will probably like this a lot.  B+.  Drink over the next 1-2 years, and be sure to give it plenty of time to breathe.  Imported by Monsieur Touton Selections, I got this for $24.99 (pretty cheap for a good quality Brunello, actually).

UPDATE (11/10/12):  A second bottle was older and more tired.   I would give #2 a C+.

2007 Viticcio CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA (Tuscany, Italy)

A stunning wine.  Doesn't try to do too much, just stays within itself and ends up being an absolutely spot-on, sweet-spot CC.

Dark ruby with just the slightest lightening at the rim.  Amazingly pure nose of the sweetest, highest toned cherry extract, fruitcake, and pure, focused Chianti earth.  A floral note too.  Linear, bone dry, generous flavors.  No fat, but not an iota too lean either.  Got that great, cherry fruit-mixed-with-schisty-Tuscan gravel thing going on.  Excellent acids keep it energetic.  Long, clingy finish, with a barely perceptible dose of micro-tannin.  Killer.  A.  F*ck that new school stuff, this is the real deal.  Was $21.99 from WTSO.com, but I've also seen this at Spec's (on Bissonnet) in Houston.  Get some.

2007 Fattoria Vignavecchia CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA (Tuscany, Italy)

Beautiful, textbook Chianti Classico.  Gorgeous, focused fruit, medium-full body, minerality, elegance, and excellent balance.  I can't imagine a Sangiovese I'd like more than this.

Vibrant, stunningly crystalline black ruby color.  Laser-focused fresh and dried cherry fruit, along with schist-strewn fragrant gravel and a hint of new leather.  Fills the mouth with ripe clingy deep cherry fruit and intense minerality, in a soft, dry, and improbably lithe package.  Good acidity too. A barely noticeable amount of very fine-grained tannin provides some texture, and the finish is long and pure.  I like that the fruit and terroir shine through and there's no noticeable oak component.  A.  Was $18.99 from Wines Til Sold Out (wtso.com) making it a great value.  Imported by Superior Wines, Cranford, NJ.

2009 Fattoria ColSanto "Ruris" (Umbria, Italy)

This is a non-DOC blend of 70% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot, and 10% Sagrantino.  It is a very rustic mouthful of wine, and got more enjoyable over the course of three days after initially being opened. But it's cheap, and not a bad gulper to have with rustic tomato/meat/cheese pasta dishes.
Relatively innocuous dark ruby color.  The first day, the nose seemed sharp and overextracted.  By the third day it was pretty good.  Lots of tart cherry fruit and angular cracked stony scents.   Drying, slightly sour cherry fruit fills the mouth, with some dry earthiness, as well, and it's all transported along on a wave of acidity and some aggressive, not-so-soft tannin.  Finished clean, but leaves the mouth somewhat puckered.  I know these notes don't make this wine sound so good, but I actually kind of enjoyed it (with food -- without food, it's way too taxing).  C+/B-.  I think this was around 9 or 10 bucks at Whole Foods in Clarendon.  Imported by Siema Wines, Springfield, VA.

My 1000th post!!! 2009 Busi CHIANTI RUFINA (Tuscany, Italy)

I love Chianti Rufina.  It's a region northeast of both the Chianti Classico region and indeed west of Firenze.  It tends to be a little leaner, lighter in body, and crisper than Chiantis from the Classico region, and this one is true to its type.  They can be extraordinarily food-friendly wines.

Bright color of spectrally-pure ruby.  Fairly animated nose of crisp cherries and cherry liqueur, along with the prototypical Chianti minerally earthiness I refer to as "schisty gravel."  Crisp, aggressive, high-toned flavors of stony minerals and cherries that linger, gradually (and this is unusual) molting from more minerally into more pure cherry as the finish goes on.  Usually, it's the other way around with most wines.  Nice crisp but unobtrusive acids, and some very fine-grained but puckery tannin comprise the physical characteristics.  A very notable value at $9.99.  Got this at The Italian Store on Lee Highway in Arlington.  Imported by Kysela Pere et Fils.  B+.