Wine Tasting - Bell'Agio Chianti

        

Name: Bell'Agio Chianti. 

Variety: Sangiovese. 

Region: Chianti, Toscana, Central Italy. 

Country: Italy. 

Year: 2022. 

Price: $11.99. 

Winery Review: John Hayes says: "Light burgundy in color. Aromas of cranberry, orange peel, and black pepper Earthy flavors of leathery plum and tobacco. A little rough on the aftertaste." Liz Livecchi adds: "Lovely table wine! Has some notes of oak and cheery. Nothing too complex but a solid little wine."

Wine Folly: (Page 353) Sangiovese - "Sangiovese is Italy's most planted grape and the key variety in Tuscany's renowned Chianti. It's sensitive, tasting quite different depending on where it grows. The high acidity allows Sangiovese to match well with all manner of well-spiced foots. It's one of the few cines that will not get lost when paired with tomato sauce. [Cherry, Roasted Tomato, Sweet Balsamic, Oregano, & Espresso.]"  

My Review: Finishing my last slightly acidic beverage, let's now move onto a much drier side of the scale. Yes, I did buy this one for the bottle, but not for the reason you'd expect. I've been shopping at Kroger for weeks and every week I see this same exact bottle sitting there on the shelf. Eventually, I said "Why not?," picked this one off the shelf, and got to drinking. After tasting it for myself, reading the reviews, and the description of this variety in Wine Folly, I am simultaneously surprised and understanding. This wine is meant to be stored for anywhere between 5-25 years, yet I quite like it as is. It is exceptionally dry to me - either due to my lack of experience or due to its general flavor. It is balanced, however, due to its low acidity, and surprisingly rounded body (not relating to the body of the bottle, I swear). Some say the aftertaste is rough, yet I find it soothing after a sharply dry entry. This is the first time I've described a wine as such, but I find this one: smokey, hinted with chocolate, cherry-like and similar to aged red apples, definitely some blackberry in there and all of these (so far) of even parts. Top this all off with a coating of rose and slightly corky and you have yourself this one-of-a-kind chianti. I will be buying this variety again, no doubt. I am curious, though, as to what other regions in the world grow this grape since it is known to be sensitive to its environment. I might try this once again next week.