Noceto, Shenandoah Valley (California) Canaiolo Nero 2021 ($29)

I love that the winery battles this as a stand-alone variety. Usually deployed as a blending partner in Chianti, here you get to see why that’s the case. It brings a darker fruit character and a little more tannic structure than Sangiovese, and this iteration is a rich, food friendly offering that you can use when you want a little more heft than is typical for a Sangiovese. A lesson in a bottle!
92 Rich Cook