Sangiovese

Our usual group got together on Saturday and tried four Sangiovese wines with some Italian food. Three were very good, one was not. Three were Italian wines and one was from California.  We tasted all four wines before getting into the food, then re-tasted them with the food.  The outcome was quite interesting.

One of the top two wines with the food was a 2007 La Spinetta Il Nero di Casanova Toscana Sangiovese, and IGT wine.  Earth and dirt in the nose in a great balance.  Very reserved at the start and very tightly wound.  It offered promise along with tannin and structure.  By the time the food arrived the wine began opening.  Great sour cherry taste sitting on top of that earthy taste.  The tannins were still strong and so was the acid.  This wine probably needs a couple of years to show its best but the parts are all there when it does.  Really good stuff with the food.  $20 and 13.5% alcohol.