Felsina Chianti Classico

Australian winemakers are complaining about the high growth of imports. Yet, the reality is they are not just a curiosity factor, but they have become very competitive here. Apart from the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc phenomenon (which is likely to implode), there is Chablis which competes with good quality Aussie Chardonnay, there is Tempranillo, which offers an alternative to our heavy Shirazes and Cabernets, and then there is Sangiovese.

Pairing a Sangiovese with a minced meat and tomato based dish is one of the perfect combinations. Fattoria di Felsina has been a very reliable producer and this 2006 Felsina Chianti Classico does not disappoint. This is a medium to full bodied wine with red and black cherry flavours complemented by earthy flavours. The mouthfeel is satisfying, although not very persisting, as the wine's acidity cuts through the food. This wine does not deliver enough on its own, but it is an excellent food wine: not imposing, but strong enough to be an equal partner.

Score: 91/++

Castagna 2008 Releases

Unfortunately, this is going to be a brief post, as I did not take any notes during this fabulous Castagna dinner. The 2008 Castagnia 'La Chiave' Sangiovese and the 2008 Castagnia 'Genesis' Shiraz are outstanding wines and show Julian Castagnia at his best. Julian has been a keen biodynamic farmer and advocate for quite some time and the wines reflect this.

Castagna's La Chiave is Australia's best Sangiovese, and the 2008 an excellent example. The wine is lively, shows beautiful pure cherry fruit which matches the acidity seemlessly. Very elegant, full flavoured, yet easy to drink.

Score: 96/+++

The 2008 Genesis is also brilliant. It has fresh cherry and plum flavours, with excellent mouthfeel. This is quite a big wine, but not heavy.

Score: 94/+++

Joe Bastianich wines

Joe Bastianich is a famous New York chef. He was born in Friuli, North-Eastern Italy and he grows white wines there as well as Sangiovese based wines in Tuscany. I was lucky to be able to attend a dinner with him and Steve Manfredi where he showcased his wines.

These wines are very different from what we have here. They are not very acidic and crafted to accompany food, rather than dominate it. They can be quite fruity, but they are not sweet. Amazing how he achieves this.

From a range of wines, I just like to comment on two. The 2008 Sauvignon 'B' was nothing like a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. No grassiness, no sharpness: a refreshing, somewhat fruity wine, but with a fresh finish, almost like a light Chardonnay - a great food wine.

The most serious of the wines of the night was the 2005 La Mozza Aragone, a Sangiovese based super Tuscan, which included 20% of Shiraz and a couple of other local varieties. This wine had cherry and plum flavours, was well balanced, not too heavy, but serious, with soft tannins on the finish.

These wines are not easy to find in Australia, but well worth checking out. I believe Five Ways Cellars in Sydney and the Prince Wine Store in Melbourne are stocking them.

Poggerino Chianti Classico

The 2006 Poggerino Chianti Classico is the perfect wine for pizza. It is serious enough to be enjoyed, but not a stellar wine which would reward too much attention. From an outstanding vintage in Tuscany, this wine has bright red cherry flavours and plenty of acidity to cut through the food. It is probably best drunk in three to five years when the acid has mellowed somewhat, but I enjoyed it just the same right now.

Pizzini

I went to a tasting of the current Pizzini releases. The 2008 Rosetta is a rose based on Sangiovese. It has a light, slightly orange colour. Its flavour is quite savoury, the acidity often associated with Sangiovese is not present, but the wine is a little short. Not very complex, but a good lunch wine.

The 2007 Arneis is not very similar to the Piedmont wines. They tend to be fresh and slightly fizzy. This wine had more mineral and earthy characters and is a little broad on the palate - not my favorite.

Sangiovese is probably what Pizzini is best known for and the 2006 Sangiovese does not disappoint. It shows vibrant red cherry fruit, is quite savoury and dry, yet has an elegant finish. This wine can certainly stand up to the better Chianti Classicos.

The final wine was the 2003 Nebbiolo. I was particularly interested in this, as I have yet to try an Australian Nebbiolo that comes anywhere near the Piedmont quality. Well, nothing has changed. The wine has medium weight, is not very complex and has nice dusty flavours. However, this wine lacks the flavour spectrum of its Italian counter parts and also does not have the length in the finish. Nebbiolo is a difficult and work intensive grape which tends to be reflected in high prices. The wine then has to deliver something special. So far, we are still at the experimentation stage in Australia.

Castellare Chianti Classico

The first Chiantis of the acclaimed 2006 vintage in Tuscany have arrived. Last night I tried the 2006 Castellare Chianti Classico. It is certainly quite a substantial wine for a Chianti. The flavours are of black cherries, but not very differentiated. The wine is quite savoury, a little bit tart. It will benefit from a year or two cellaring to soften the tannins. I will be interested to try other Chiantis from this vintage, which might be a bit more 'user friendly' and interesting.

Pizzini Sangiovese

It is time to get off the high plane of Margaret River Cabernets. The best accompanying wine to pasta is Sangiovese=Chianti. This is because the acidity of this wine cuts nicely through the pasta and usually makes the dish a more uplifting experience.

Pizzini has probably created the standard for Australian Sangiovese. It is as good as a decent Chianti Classico, not quite a Riserva. Tonight, I am having the 2005 Sangiovese. It displays bright cherry flavours, is fairly straight forward, but with some depth, and finishes with the aforementioned acidity. It would last a few years, but is unlikely to improve.This is a good value for money wine at less than $30 per bottle. I always keep a few bottles for the odd Italian meal I might be having.