Toscolo Chianti

Varietal: Chianti
Region: Italy
Cost: $10

Ruby coloring with a smooth taste of fruit and just a hint of tannins at the end.  Pair with pasta, pizza, roasted meat.

Recommendations: The wife and I picked this up while having dinner at Verde the other night as they were out of the Sauvignon Blanc we wanted, and this would pair well.  I should preface this by saying, for anybody that hasn’t read this blog before, that I am a fan of Chianti.  It’s probably the first wine that I really fell in love with and was certainly my introduction into red wines.

Now, all that being said, the Toscolo Chianti was not, by my standard, a Chianti.  That’s not to say that it wasn’t made with the Sangiovese grape, but if the bottle hadn’t said Chianti on it, I would have thought it was something else.  I honestly thought it had been labeled wrong and was actually a Tempranillo.

I’m not saying it wasn’t good with our meal of paninis and chips, but it just wasn’t what I was expecting.  That being said, at $10, it’s not a complete waste – I wouldn’t pay more for it though.  If you’re curious I’d say try it, but otherwise you can find a better Chianti for about the same price.