Banfi Chianti Classico Reserva `07 DOCG $17.99 ***

We've been drinking a lot of Banfi ever since S. & JPH  went to a tasting dinner in January.  I had to try this wine three different times before I figured out what I really like about it. I am not really a fan of Chianti or Sangiovese for that matter, BUT this wine was good and it was great with lunch.  Proper paring can really elevate a meal.

This post is all about the North Shore of Long Island, and the Italians that have made it home for the past century. Razzano's is an Italian Salumaeria is just a mile or so from The Banfi Estate (importers of this Chianti that is made by them in Tuscany). It was fitting that I have a glass of their rustic, full bodied Chianti Classico to accompany the amazing Meatball Parmesan hero that JPH & I split from Razzano's. (I challenge ANYONE to eat a full sized one at one sitting!)

Banfi Chianti Classico Reserva `07 is full of flavor - dried blackberries and a bit of raspberry with an undercurrent of earthiness (translation, there is a slight roughness about it).  What made those flavors perfect was the fact that as I was sipping, I was chewing on an amazing juicy veal/pork/beef meatball, with homemade tomato sauce in a freshly baked roll.  I asked for some additional red pepper which made my mouth tingle and my lips a bit numb.  It was the fruitiness and subtle roughness that just tasted great together.  The fresh bread roll was slightly sweet, crusty and softly saturated with the tomato sauce. The wine was an intense mouthful of flavor that made me realize that the Italians know flavor. It was a delicious Italian/Italian lunch that just proved to me that the right wine with the right food can be make a great meal almost perfect.

As a reminder, everything I write about is paid for - retail.
I am running on and on about Razzano's (NY Times review)
because I am a huge fan.
I am writing a series on Banfi because theirs is an amazing story,
and they are right next door.

If you ever find yourself in Glen Cove NY, give Razzano's a try
you won't be disappointed!

Banfi Tasting second course:  Banfi San Angelo Pinot Grigio `09 $18.49 (not TJ's) ***
Banfi Tasting third course:  Banfi Centine Rosso `07 $10.89 (not TJ's)
Banfi Tasting fourth course: Banfi BelnerO `05 $35.99 (Not TJ's) ****

Gaetano D'aquino Chianti (DOCG) `08 $4.99**

This wine smells musty & old, and that is off putting, but it tastes ok.  It even tastes better if you run it through the Vinturi. It was fruity, but for $4.99, I'd buy the Villa Cerrina.  There is much better wine out there.

Menu:
Mushroom & black olive thin crust pizza.

Jason's Wine Blog reviewed the `03  with more detail, and similar results.

Sanguineti Chianti `08 (DOCG )$13.99 (not TJ's) ****

It is good wine.  Actually great wine. Of course, I am biased - Antonio poured my first glass for me and his face is on the label. Antonio Sanguineti is a Tuscan showman, but behind that charisma is a great product.  This Chianti was made to bring home on a Thursday night, sit with people you love and share a bottle or two.

If I had a country house, I'd buy a case, keep it in the cellar and haul out a bottle every time I wanted to have a nice casual evening with friends. I'd look at the label and smile, and think about the man who was able to decant his passion and market it all over the world.  Cin Cin Antonio!

Now for the wine.  It is a light Chianti, slightly acid, but fruity with highlights of strawberry.  It has a kick for a finish, you know that you are drinking something that will give you a kick.  I like it as an everyday wine.

After the Vintuiri:  Not much of a change, it does get a bit smoother - but that just makes the acidity aftertaste just a bit more prominent - with food, not an issue.

Great with a salad - or in the case of tonight, a broiled open face roast beef & provolone sandwich with grilled onions & cherry tomatoes.

Aquila D'Oro Chianti `08 (DOCG) $4.99 **

Hmmmm. I seem to be on a Chianti roll of late.  Thursday night supper.  Pesto, Tomato & Buffalo Mozzarella flatbread pizza and this $4.99 bottle of Chinti.

Well the DOCG label says that it is from Tuscany, an `08 dry red wine.

Pre-Vinturi:  First sip.  It is dry, with some tannins, acidic, has a kind of afterburn as it goes down my throat. Not necessarily a bad thing, just a reminder that this may be a food wine.  Tastes of tart Raspberries.

After Vinturi:  Woodier, dryer - less of the raspberry taste.  Don't decant it.  It is better right from the bottle.  It still has the afterburn though.  I won't buy it again.

When I first poured this bottle, it was slightly chilled, and pretty palatable.  But as it warmed to the tropical temperature that my landlord keeps my apartment at, the wine was undrinkable.  I poured the balance into my new oak vinegar barrel.

Il Valore Chianti Reserva `05 (DOCG) $5.99 ****

WOW!  For six bucks, you get a fruity yet dry good bottle of wine to have with a meal. DECANT THIS! It makes it so much better!!!

First sip undecanted and a little cold... (serve this at room temperature) hmmm very dry, mouth puckering dry. I wasn't sure.  Then I realized that it is 22 degrees out and this wine is chilled (from being in my unheated pantry/entryway).  So, I cooked, the kitchen grew warmer and the wine opened up. It still has tannins and a strong cherry/raspberry taste, but it is yummy.  After a run through the Vinturi (WINNER) and a frustrating few minutes getting the Soiree to work (loser) the drinking began in earnest....

The wine is a food wine.  it is too acidic to be a stand alone sipping red wine.  It does have a bit of a "burn" after drinking.  It is indeed a "robust" wine, for an amazing price (and is DOCG label to prove that it comes from Tuscany) How do they make a profit on this?  I don't want to know, just keep selling it.

Menu:
Skirt Steak
Rotini pasta with home made pesto and fresh grape tomatoes

All I can say is "Cin Cin"!

Francesco 1 Chianti Reserva `05 (not TJ's) $12.73 ****

This was the wine that I bought for my aerator comparison.  I bought this at Bottle Buys in Glen Head, NY.  I'm nowhere near my beloved Trader Joe's.

This Chianti is GREAT.  Slightly sharp on the first sip, but fruity, and very few tannins. It does have an acid aftertaste, so drink it with rich food.  Pizza, steak, anything heavy, and the wine will add to the flavors and lighten the meal adding a great contrast to anything fatty (in the case of our dinner: sausage and pasta). I should buy another bottle to store for the future, I think this wine will only get better with time.

After decanting, it was smooth and sublime. A great dinner wine.  I sauteed sausage with red & orange bell peppers, tomatoes and onions, tossed it with some pasta, sprinkled on some Parmesan, and it was a hearty winter dinner.

The next day, it also went well with a takeout Chinese lunch of Fried Dumplings, Sweet  Sour Chicken and Pork Fried Rice.

In a surprise twist, on the third day, (with a vacuum stopper) the wine was still great and I used it to make Skirt Steak with sauteed red & orange peppers, garlic and onions in a Chianti deglaze/sauce.  It was great to cook with and great to drink with the steak and creamed cauliflower. 

And since I have my new Blackberry 9700 toy for Christmas, I have pics:

Day One:

Day Three: