Badia a Coltibuono, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG (Tuscany, Italy) 2016

 In a recent Zoom seminar, Roberto Stucchi Prinetti explained his approach to Tuscany’s principal grape variety.  “We like what I like to call the natural expression of Sangiovese, which means not over extracted.  You can always push with Sangiovese and a make it more extracted, deeper color, but its nature is a bit of a light variety, not very thick skin, and sometimes large berries, depending upon the clone and how you handle it.  We like that balance and lightness, the fact that it is not extremely dense and concentrated.  I think it makes the wines very food friendly, complex, but also very readily enjoyable.”  And enjoyable this is with its bright ruby color and aromas of strawberry, red cherry, and lavender.  Flavors of cherry, red plum, laced with a hint of tobacco in an elegant, complex structure of fresh, bright acidity and chalky tannins are delicious now and promise years of pleasure to come.  Enjoy with grilled lamb chops or Pasta Carbonara.