Drinking well; tannins have softened. Aromatics were nice with some forest floor notes enhancing overall bouquet. A really nice effort at the price point. Last bottle from a 6 bottle purchase. Enjoyed with a pasta served with a tomato and pork ragu.
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Drank at Mom&Dad D's with lasagna. This has a very slight off (burnt) note in mid-palate, but otherwise it was a really nice chianti and a tremendous value at $9.
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This wine is showing a little darker and has some tertiary notes — bark, dark chocolate, blackberries, stewed berries. Definitely a fuller body, more dark berries that are starting to get a bit stewed around the edges — blackberries, currant, sage. Moved towards a spicy finish. Medium+ tannins that are reasonably well integrated, though it shows a bit of rusticity in the texture.
Still good, but I think it’s time to drink these.
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At $9, this was a home-run for value. It's a chianti with some real depth. For our palates, however, it is still a bit tannic and rough around the edges. I think this will really be awesome with a few more years of age. Will keep my remaining 3 bottles and start drinking them after 2-3 years.
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Forest berries, spice and the typical Tuscan slurpability. If I’m not careful I could finish the whole bottle. Ate with artichoke & leek frittata and chicken liver pate.
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Remarkable QPR, and another in a long line of overperforming Chiantis from '15 and '16. Notes of ripe (almost sweet) black cherry and black currant lead the way, with supporting notes of cigar box and tar. Tannins are brisk, yet melt away in the sweet cherry notes. Not long on complexity, but a delicious crowd-pleaser that keeps your attention.
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Deep ruby red that was ready to drink as soon as it was opened. Quick set of tears long with a slow secondary set shortly after. Aromas of cherry and on the palate fruits & herb notes continued. This wine wine had great body with a smooth finish simple not overly complex with little to no tannins. Amazing quality for the price very good wine overall.
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A really nice chianti "drinker," punching at, easily, twice it's price. Don't comprehend how/why this can sell for under $10. Bottle #3, an amazing QPR--Deep garnet color, cherry/berry on the nose and palette. Wonderful weeknight chianti, but much much more...
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Medium ruby/ purple color - appears unfiltered Medium plus aromas of ripe red fruit and hay/ herbs with leather/ tomato leaf and turned earth - quite complex Medium plus palate of red fruit and herbs which echoes aromas Medium plus coarse tannins and medium plus acidity and medium alcohol with nice length - very well balanced Really a nice wine and at this price unbeatable
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Single blind tasting Ruby Aromatics medium +. Ripe red cherry, leather that changes to tomato leaf and raisin over time. No oak Palate medium +. Acid medium +. Tannins medium +, coarse on the teeth gums and tongue. Alcohol medium. Red cherry with no secondary. Finish has a medium length. Balance towards the tannins. Dry glass notes of hay. For a $9, 4-year-old Chianti you cannot beat this wine. Ready to drink now, or certainly could hold.
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Another excellent btl. Beautiful sangiovese nose of stewed tomato, wild strawberry, blood orange, rosemary....On the palate: good acidity and density, wild strawberry and pomegranate molasses. Soft chalky tannin on the finish. Very good, and calling the qpr excellent is ridiculous understatement ($9/btl!).
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Drank this over two nights. I was ready to use this as cooking wine after the first hour as it was nothing but leather and tar. After two hours the primary notes disappeared and became a beautiful table wine full of bright cherry and light baking spices.
It is lacking depth and finish but makes up for it as the perfect Sunday night wine for your Italian feasts. This reminds me of the great local table wines in Tuscany. Second night appears to fade quickly.
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Really great value for entry level Chianti. Modern style, more fruit and a bit less acidity. Unexpectedly rich, reserved tannins, medium finish. Paired well with chicken parm.
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Drank over several nights, no gas, held up well and el still enjoyable on night three. No mystery here, fairly straightforward and enjoyable with a solid QPR. A nice drink.
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One of the greatest QPR wines I’ve ever run across. It’s got a medium-bodied feel, lush flavors of red fruit, only slight out-of-balance acidity and a lengthy finish. Unreal at $15.
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Notes identical to last time. Paired very well with pasta with marinara sauce: the slight darkness of the wine contrasted with the brightness of the sauce.
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Deep red/purple color wine with loads of character an a super dry finish. Full body with some tannin and some ripe fruits with a dry finish. Great quality versus price ratio.
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Medium ruby/ purple color Medium plus aromas of ripe cherry/ cranberry and plum with fresh herbs/ dark flowers and turned earth - slight VA Medium palate of red fruit with a little leather and nice minerality Medium plus acidity and medium coarse tannins Medium alcohol and medium length Really nice wine and even better with food I should have bought a case of this - doesn't get much better at this price!
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Another nice showing, juicy and fresh with loads of slightly tannic, bright dark cherry and red plum fruit. Really juicy acidity and medium tannins. Some earthy woody notes on the otherwise fresh long finish. A little rustic, but should go great with some sausage ragu and ravioli! Really great value as well.
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Surprisingly purple in color. Black cherry, dust, cedar, dried herbs and chili peppers on a warm finish. Well balanced after an hour of air with medium+ acidity and for $10 everything one could hope for. Might still improve.
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Second bottle from this shipment and consistent with first. Excellent QPR; enjoyed over two nights and very enjoyable with simple week night fare. Enough brightness and fresh acidity to handle a rich pan sauce.
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Used mainly for cooking (peppered beef stew) - but had a glass and it was excellent. Very juicy with nice dark cherry and plum fruit, nice medium tannins - very nicely balanced. Very well priced, this is excellent QPR.
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Opened for a couple of hours. No it’s not sophisticated wine but lovely to drink with a roast shoulder of pork. Just what a great entry level chianti should be.
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Ripe blue and black berries on nose and palate with enough acidity to keep it bright and lively. Great value wine (grazie, Garagiste!) and so charming right now.
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Enjoyed two glasses the first night, set aside and had two glasses two nights later. Very enjoyable, pleased with the QPR. Not intensely complex but a darn good drink on a Thursday night.
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Slow oxed for sevral hours then into a decanter. Yup with a $9 wine. This is just an amazing value. The nose is of sweet cheries and balsa wood with hints of tobacco. It is incrediably balanced in the mouth with enough acidity to keep it fresh but not harsh in any way. The cherries repeat in the mouth and have a slight dose of dustiness in agood way. Wow
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Opened about an hour before drinking. Wow what a nose of cherries balsam wood and thyme. Dark in the glass and smooth in the mouth. This is a really good every day wine and for under $9 this is a steel. Great with food and cheese. A solid 90 pt wine and with a few years more in the bottle will improve. I’m looking for multiple cases.
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Yum. Nose with mulberry leaf, roses, damp earth and blackberry. On the palate, excellent acidity, more red and black raspberry, and a soft tannic finish.
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Really very nice, and defying its price tag of 10 EUR. Indeed the majority of Chiantis in the 15-18 EUR range do not offer this kind of quality in my view.
In my (not very extensive) experience, Rufina Chiantis carry somewhat less pronounced acidity than the other Chianti subregions, and this confirms that. But that is not a drawback, actually I feel it even supports the elegance.
Anyway this is a wine with terrific balance on things: serious and still rather well drinkable, weighty but not heavy, nice tannins, and just a bit of animality to round it up.
Feels bone dry though, so not for the complete beginners. Everyone else should be quite happy with this - my wife and I certainly were.
To me this is at least in the top 1% of the 10-EUR-red-wine world, translating obviously to terrific QPR.
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Medium-dark ruby red in color. Full, forward & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of cherries, strawberries & plums with overtones of earthy/dusty & floral notes of violets, dried herbs & a hint of minerals. Medium bodied with a very good concentration of balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of sour cherries, plums & strawberries with dried herbs & minerals. Lingering finish. Quite accessible at present with decanting & airing but has the structure & fruit to continue with further development with a few more years. Excellent QPR.
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Very dark for a chianti, but also really nicely balanced with medium acidity and tannins. bright fresh dark cherry and plummy fruit and a lovely fresh finish. Superb value at around $11.
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Taste New Wines for Jan (San Diego Wine Co.): “95% Sangiovese & 5% Colorino from vyds @ at an elevation of almost 1000′ above sea level, lying on a very stony soil, locally known as ‘Galestro’.” Typically, “Fermentation with maceration (skin contact) of about 20 days, held at temps between 25-28°C. Malolactic fermentation completed in inox tanks; The wine ages in FR oak barrels (used 1 or 2 years) for 12 mos.” 25,000 cases made.
N: SMOKE, toast atop cherries, flowers way underneath?
P: LM body; Rndish entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays in contact with the init frt as it seamlessly transitions into a LONG, balanced, VERY slightly tangy finish with a DISTINCT *swtness* to the firming, but fairly unoffensive, dusty tannins. For now with food, but deserves through '20, then drinking through '23 min. 13.5% ABV; EXC-, *easily* higher for QPR. 93 pts Suckling (9/11/18), 91 WS (12/31/18), and 88 & 87 (2x) winealign.com (5/1/19). [This vendor's $11.99 is as good as ANYONE on wine-searcher.]
Note: Today I noticed less structure than when 1st tasted on 11/30/19
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Medium bodied and lightly chewy. There is plenty of cherries and bark to go around. Relatively simple and inoffensive. Not going to grab a lot of attention, perfect for backyard summer BBQ.
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Cherry, forest floor, bark, and sage. Medium tannins. A nice sense of expressiveness and lift. It's good, feels serious for the price, and is clearly a very very good value.
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This was really tasty. I'd say modern, but it's just more fruit forward and rich than the Chianti I was expecting. Big mouth full of flavor, round tannins that lend to a chocolatey flavor, and a long finish.
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Taste New Arrivals (San Diego Wine Co.): “95% Sangiovese & 5% Colorino from vyds @ at an elevation of almost 1000′ above sea level, lying on a very stony soil, locally known as ‘Galestro’.” Typically, “Fermentation with maceration (skin contact) of about 20 days, held at temperatures between 25- 28°C. Malolactic fermentation completed in inox tanks; The wine ages in FR oak barrels (used one or two years) for 12 mos.” 25,000 cases made.
N: Slightly closed; Smoke, bacon fat, cherries way underneath
P: LM body; Nice, almost swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which morphs into a LONG, balanced finish with POSS a very, VERY slight pucker to the firming, dusty tannins. NEEDS through '21 (poss more?), then drinking through '24 -- & that's likely conservative. Enough frt to weather the acidity? Either way, likely best for acidophiles. 13.5% ABV; My VG+, though I can "see" folks contending for higher 'cuz of the style/QPR. 93 pts Suckling (9/11/18), 91 WS (12/31/18), and 88 & 87 (2x) winealign.com (5/1/19). [This vendor's $11.99 is as good as ANYONE on wine-searcher.]
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Medium ruby - appears unfiltered Medium aromas of ripe red fruit/ dry earth and leather with small amount of oak influence Opened up with beautiful violet/ floral aromas with some time in the glass Medium palate which echoes aromas of beautiful ripe red fruit Medium plus tannins and medium plus acidity with nice length Uncomplicated but delicious wine - great food wine as expected GREAT wine for the price!
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1/31/2024 - robmillis Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drinking very well still. The timing is right to drink the last now but I still wish I had more.
Insane QPR.
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1/15/2024 - EastBayPhil Likes this wine: 89 Points
Drinking well; tannins have softened. Aromatics were nice with some forest floor notes enhancing overall bouquet. A really nice effort at the price point. Last bottle from a 6 bottle purchase. Enjoyed with a pasta served with a tomato and pork ragu.
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9/21/2023 - redz wrote: 89 Points
Earthy chianti, nice.
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2/20/2023 - bluepeter2020@outlook.com Likes this wine: 89 Points
Maturing nicely with generous floral aromas.
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12/18/2022 - Bill1100 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Had with penne pasta and salad. Ok first day left in decanter much better second day. In general much better than expected for the price.
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11/25/2022 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank at Mom&Dad D's with lasagna. This has a very slight off (burnt) note in mid-palate, but otherwise it was a really nice chianti and a tremendous value at $9.
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9/8/2022 - saintly Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice wine which exceeded expectations. It was a deep ruby red colour and had cherry / berry tones. Very smooth on the palate.
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6/21/2022 - JuliannaDHS Likes this wine: 89 Points
Enjoyed this bottle more than previous bottles. Medium plus body wine with plenty of fruit, not overly complex.
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2/28/2022 - OaktownRush Likes this wine:
This wine is showing a little darker and has some tertiary notes — bark, dark chocolate, blackberries, stewed berries. Definitely a fuller body, more dark berries that are starting to get a bit stewed around the edges — blackberries, currant, sage. Moved towards a spicy finish. Medium+ tannins that are reasonably well integrated, though it shows a bit of rusticity in the texture.
Still good, but I think it’s time to drink these.
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2/13/2022 - guzmana Likes this wine: 90 Points
Refined tannins. Intense blackberry notes. Quite nice. Delicate.
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1/18/2022 - Sherrylynnmarie wrote:
Buy this again. Great for price point
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12/14/2021 - j.a.price.trucking wrote: 89 Points
Ripe, spicy full Chianti. Great for a weekday night with lasagna.
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10/28/2021 - robmillis Likes this wine: 89 Points
Fantastic QPR. Classic Chianti.
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9/2/2021 - SpoochMan Likes this wine: 89 Points
At $9, this was a home-run for value. It's a chianti with some real depth. For our palates, however, it is still a bit tannic and rough around the edges. I think this will really be awesome with a few more years of age. Will keep my remaining 3 bottles and start drinking them after 2-3 years.
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8/21/2021 - Fuz98112 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Eminently drinkable. Simply stunning at $10.
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7/4/2021 - picgla wrote:
really good. worth multiple repeats.
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4/12/2021 - klezman wrote:
Took about 30 minutes to settle down after opening. Nice rustic Chianti. Excellent value at $11.50 delivered.
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3/26/2021 - peter_cellars wrote: flawed
Corked. The first of six. Hope the others are not
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3/23/2021 - aronh Likes this wine: 90 Points
Forest berries, spice and the typical Tuscan slurpability. If I’m not careful I could finish the whole bottle. Ate with artichoke & leek frittata and chicken liver pate.
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2/21/2021 - EastBayPhil Likes this wine: 89 Points
Notes consistent with previous bottles. Over delivers vs. category and price point; plenty going on here.
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1/19/2021 - bspahn wrote: 91 Points
This was spectacular. Jammy fruit, but with a great amount of acid to balance. The best chianti I've ever had.
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1/15/2021 - ziavino wrote: 91 Points
Remarkable QPR, and another in a long line of overperforming Chiantis from '15 and '16. Notes of ripe (almost sweet) black cherry and black currant lead the way, with supporting notes of cigar box and tar. Tannins are brisk, yet melt away in the sweet cherry notes. Not long on complexity, but a delicious crowd-pleaser that keeps your attention.
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1/12/2021 - Kevin Staveley Likes this wine: 89 Points
Deep ruby red that was ready to drink as soon as it was opened. Quick set of tears long with a slow secondary set shortly after. Aromas of cherry and on the palate fruits & herb notes continued. This wine wine had great body with a smooth finish simple not overly complex with little to no tannins. Amazing quality for the price very good wine overall.
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1/11/2021 - Eslotnick.es@gmail.com Likes this wine: 90 Points
A really nice chianti "drinker," punching at, easily, twice it's price. Don't comprehend how/why this can sell for under $10. Bottle #3, an amazing QPR--Deep garnet color, cherry/berry on the nose and palette. Wonderful weeknight chianti, but much much more...
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12/27/2020 - Jake112380 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Thick and robust with ripe red fruit flavors and grippy tannins. Fantastic with chicken pesto pasta.
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12/5/2020 - fmginc Likes this wine: 88 Points
rounding out nicely good fruit and soften ntes
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11/25/2020 - dsamuel Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium ruby/ purple color - appears unfiltered
Medium plus aromas of ripe red fruit and hay/ herbs with leather/ tomato leaf and turned earth - quite complex
Medium plus palate of red fruit and herbs which echoes aromas
Medium plus coarse tannins and medium plus acidity and medium alcohol with nice length - very well balanced
Really a nice wine and at this price unbeatable
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11/25/2020 - S.Wayne Likes this wine: 90 Points
Single blind tasting
Ruby
Aromatics medium +. Ripe red cherry, leather that changes to tomato leaf and raisin over time. No oak
Palate medium +. Acid medium +. Tannins medium +, coarse on the teeth gums and tongue. Alcohol medium. Red cherry with no secondary.
Finish has a medium length. Balance towards the tannins.
Dry glass notes of hay.
For a $9, 4-year-old Chianti you cannot beat this wine.
Ready to drink now, or certainly could hold.
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11/14/2020 - Aravind Asok wrote:
Another excellent btl. Beautiful sangiovese nose of stewed tomato, wild strawberry, blood orange, rosemary....On the palate: good acidity and density, wild strawberry and pomegranate molasses. Soft chalky tannin on the finish. Very good, and calling the qpr excellent is ridiculous understatement ($9/btl!).
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11/2/2020 - DWaterman Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drank this over two nights. I was ready to use this as cooking wine after the first hour as it was nothing but leather and tar. After two hours the primary notes disappeared and became a beautiful table wine full of bright cherry and light baking spices.
It is lacking depth and finish but makes up for it as the perfect Sunday night wine for your Italian feasts. This reminds me of the great local table wines in Tuscany. Second night appears to fade quickly.
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10/29/2020 - elevwine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Really great value for entry level Chianti. Modern style, more fruit and a bit less acidity. Unexpectedly rich, reserved tannins, medium finish. Paired well with chicken parm.
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10/16/2020 - rogernn@aol.com wrote: 90 Points
Deep purple color, full bodied, long finish. Notes of blackberry, plums. Not a typical Chianti.
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10/5/2020 - geoffreychambertin Likes this wine: 89 Points
Simple red fruited nose, good amount of acid, great with cacio e pepe.
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10/4/2020 - Eslotnick.es@gmail.com Likes this wine: 89 Points
Yummy accompaniment to eggplant parmigiana. Amazing QPR that punches at a higher pay grade.
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10/3/2020 - EastBayPhil wrote: 89 Points
Drank over several nights, no gas, held up well and el still enjoyable on night three. No mystery here, fairly straightforward and enjoyable with a solid QPR. A nice drink.
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9/19/2020 - Jdevans Does not like this wine:
Possibly flawed. Definitely quite bad, funky with no redeeming characteristics. Again, might just be one bad bottle.
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9/4/2020 - Nojomoschwa Likes this wine: 89 Points
Paolo produces very consistent Chianti, in a more commercial/ripe style, but the 2016 is very good indeed, especially for the price.
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8/27/2020 - kchwd Likes this wine:
Crazy QPR. Reminds me of a nice Rioja Reserva.
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8/10/2020 - randyjc wrote: 90 Points
One of the greatest QPR wines I’ve ever run across. It’s got a medium-bodied feel, lush flavors of red fruit, only slight out-of-balance acidity and a lengthy finish. Unreal at $15.
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7/10/2020 - Eslotnick.es@gmail.com Likes this wine: 90 Points
The ideal pizza wine at an amazing QPR ($9) from a Garagistes. Full bodied, deep, dark and smooth. As good as Chianti's at twice the price.
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7/9/2020 - Aravind Asok wrote:
Notes identical to last time. Paired very well with pasta with marinara sauce: the slight darkness of the wine contrasted with the brightness of the sauce.
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6/22/2020 - Boutip Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep red/purple color wine with loads of character an a super dry finish. Full body with some tannin and some ripe fruits with a dry finish. Great quality versus price ratio.
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6/21/2020 - dsamuel Likes this wine: 91 Points
Medium ruby/ purple color
Medium plus aromas of ripe cherry/ cranberry and plum with fresh herbs/ dark flowers and turned earth - slight VA
Medium palate of red fruit with a little leather and nice minerality
Medium plus acidity and medium coarse tannins
Medium alcohol and medium length
Really nice wine and even better with food
I should have bought a case of this - doesn't get much better at this price!
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6/8/2020 - thebonnydooner wrote: 90 Points
Another nice showing, juicy and fresh with loads of slightly tannic, bright dark cherry and red plum fruit. Really juicy acidity and medium tannins. Some earthy woody notes on the otherwise fresh long finish. A little rustic, but should go great with some sausage ragu and ravioli! Really great value as well.
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6/7/2020 - fmginc Likes this wine: 88 Points
Good notes nice and smooth
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6/2/2020 - Space Nine Likes this wine: 88 Points
Good solid every day drinker. Though it will improve with a few years in the bottle to let the considerable tannins soften.
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5/29/2020 - Jeffallen2006 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Really nice-downright awesome at the price! Wish I’d bought more 🙁
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5/28/2020 - robmillis Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deliciously plummy, smooth, incredible QPR.
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5/17/2020 - Portland Seth Likes this wine: 88 Points
Surprisingly purple in color. Black cherry, dust, cedar, dried herbs and chili peppers on a warm finish. Well balanced after an hour of air with medium+ acidity and for $10 everything one could hope for. Might still improve.
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5/5/2020 - Jake112380 wrote: 89 Points
Considerably better this time around. Great with food, which I suppose is half the point of wine (the other half being company).
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5/4/2020 - klezman wrote:
Agreed with prior notes that this is a nice easy drinking, balanced, simple(ish) Chianti. And a great deal at under $12 delivered.
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4/27/2020 - bradleymichaelharris@gmail.com Likes this wine: 90 Points
This is absolutely stellar at 12 bucks.
Should have bought 3 cases!
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4/26/2020 - mkrapn Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent wine.
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4/23/2020 - fmginc wrote: 87 Points
Good fruit and deep rich color great buy
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4/2/2020 - EastBayPhil Likes this wine: 89 Points
Second bottle from this shipment and consistent with first. Excellent QPR; enjoyed over two nights and very enjoyable with simple week night fare. Enough brightness and fresh acidity to handle a rich pan sauce.
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3/17/2020 - Jdevans Likes this wine:
Perfectly solid weeknight Chianti. Perhaps a bit heavier than I expected.
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3/16/2020 - thebonnydooner wrote: 89 Points
Used mainly for cooking (peppered beef stew) - but had a glass and it was excellent. Very juicy with nice dark cherry and plum fruit, nice medium tannins - very nicely balanced. Very well priced, this is excellent QPR.
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3/16/2020 - repoper wrote:
Opened for a couple of hours. No it’s not sophisticated wine but lovely to drink with a roast shoulder of pork. Just what a great entry level chianti should be.
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3/13/2020 - Bradley Love Likes this wine:
Nice fruit. Great value.
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3/12/2020 - Burgundy Al wrote: 88 Points
Ripe blue and black berries on nose and palate with enough acidity to keep it bright and lively. Great value wine (grazie, Garagiste!) and so charming right now.
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3/8/2020 - Tintin wrote: 90 Points
Amazing difference between nights 1 and 2. It really opened up well. Next time, I will decant this.
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3/5/2020 - EastBayPhil Likes this wine: 90 Points
Enjoyed two glasses the first night, set aside and had two glasses two nights later. Very enjoyable, pleased with the QPR. Not intensely complex but a darn good drink on a Thursday night.
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3/5/2020 - repoper wrote: 91 Points
Slow oxed for sevral hours then into a decanter. Yup with a $9 wine. This is just an amazing value. The nose is of sweet cheries and balsa wood with hints of tobacco. It is incrediably balanced in the mouth with enough acidity to keep it fresh but not harsh in any way. The cherries repeat in the mouth and have a slight dose of dustiness in agood way. Wow
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2/28/2020 - repoper wrote: 90 Points
Opened about an hour before drinking. Wow what a nose of cherries balsam wood and thyme. Dark in the glass and smooth in the mouth. This is a really good every day wine and for under $9 this is a steel. Great with food and cheese. A solid 90 pt wine and with a few years more in the bottle will improve. I’m looking for multiple cases.
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2/27/2020 - Aravind Asok wrote:
Yum. Nose with mulberry leaf, roses, damp earth and blackberry. On the palate, excellent acidity, more red and black raspberry, and a soft tannic finish.
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2/11/2020 - fhayek Likes this wine: 89 Points
Really very nice, and defying its price tag of 10 EUR. Indeed the majority of Chiantis in the 15-18 EUR range do not offer this kind of quality in my view.
In my (not very extensive) experience, Rufina Chiantis carry somewhat less pronounced acidity than the other Chianti subregions, and this confirms that. But that is not a drawback, actually I feel it even supports the elegance.
Anyway this is a wine with terrific balance on things: serious and still rather well drinkable, weighty but not heavy, nice tannins, and just a bit of animality to round it up.
Feels bone dry though, so not for the complete beginners. Everyone else should be quite happy with this - my wife and I certainly were.
To me this is at least in the top 1% of the 10-EUR-red-wine world, translating obviously to terrific QPR.
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1/30/2020 - Vinnut Likes this wine: 89 Points
Medium-dark ruby red in color. Full, forward & attractive nose of ripe fruit aromas of cherries, strawberries & plums with overtones of earthy/dusty & floral notes of violets, dried herbs & a hint of minerals. Medium bodied with a very good concentration of balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of sour cherries, plums & strawberries with dried herbs & minerals. Lingering finish. Quite accessible at present with decanting & airing but has the structure & fruit to continue with further development with a few more years. Excellent QPR.
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1/12/2020 - darkfeld Likes this wine: 90 Points
Solid classic Tuscan table wine. Lots of tannin. Would be fun to forget about this for a couple of years and revisit
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1/10/2020 - thebonnydooner wrote: 90 Points
Very dark for a chianti, but also really nicely balanced with medium acidity and tannins. bright fresh dark cherry and plummy fruit and a lovely fresh finish. Superb value at around $11.
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1/4/2020 - srh Likes this wine:
Taste New Wines for Jan (San Diego Wine Co.): “95% Sangiovese & 5% Colorino from vyds @ at an elevation of almost 1000′ above sea level, lying on a very stony soil, locally known as ‘Galestro’.” Typically, “Fermentation with maceration (skin contact) of about 20 days, held at temps between 25-28°C. Malolactic fermentation completed in inox tanks; The wine ages in FR oak barrels (used 1 or 2 years) for 12 mos.” 25,000 cases made.
N: SMOKE, toast atop cherries, flowers way underneath?
P: LM body; Rndish entry with NICE, almost swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays in contact with the init frt as it seamlessly transitions into a LONG, balanced, VERY slightly tangy finish with a DISTINCT *swtness* to the firming, but fairly unoffensive, dusty tannins. For now with food, but deserves through '20, then drinking through '23 min. 13.5% ABV; EXC-, *easily* higher for QPR. 93 pts Suckling (9/11/18), 91 WS (12/31/18), and 88 & 87 (2x) winealign.com (5/1/19). [This vendor's $11.99 is as good as ANYONE on wine-searcher.]
Note: Today I noticed less structure than when 1st tasted on 11/30/19
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12/30/2019 - PDX-S wrote:
Medium bodied and lightly chewy. There is plenty of cherries and bark to go around. Relatively simple and inoffensive. Not going to grab a lot of attention, perfect for backyard summer BBQ.
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12/17/2019 - OaktownRush Likes this wine: 89 Points
Cherry, forest floor, bark, and sage. Medium tannins. A nice sense of expressiveness and lift. It's good, feels serious for the price, and is clearly a very very good value.
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12/7/2019 - joraesque wrote: 88 Points
Paired well with anchovies.
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12/6/2019 - wirelesswine wrote: 90 Points
This was really tasty. I'd say modern, but it's just more fruit forward and rich than the Chianti I was expecting. Big mouth full of flavor, round tannins that lend to a chocolatey flavor, and a long finish.
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11/30/2019 - srh Likes this wine:
Taste New Arrivals (San Diego Wine Co.): “95% Sangiovese & 5% Colorino from vyds @ at an elevation of almost 1000′ above sea level, lying on a very stony soil, locally known as ‘Galestro’.” Typically, “Fermentation with maceration (skin contact) of about 20 days, held at temperatures between 25- 28°C. Malolactic fermentation completed in inox tanks; The wine ages in FR oak barrels (used one or two years) for 12 mos.” 25,000 cases made.
N: Slightly closed; Smoke, bacon fat, cherries way underneath
P: LM body; Nice, almost swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which morphs into a LONG, balanced finish with POSS a very, VERY slight pucker to the firming, dusty tannins. NEEDS through '21 (poss more?), then drinking through '24 -- & that's likely conservative. Enough frt to weather the acidity? Either way, likely best for acidophiles. 13.5% ABV; My VG+, though I can "see" folks contending for higher 'cuz of the style/QPR. 93 pts Suckling (9/11/18), 91 WS (12/31/18), and 88 & 87 (2x) winealign.com (5/1/19). [This vendor's $11.99 is as good as ANYONE on wine-searcher.]
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11/28/2019 - dsamuel Likes this wine: 90 Points
Medium ruby - appears unfiltered
Medium aromas of ripe red fruit/ dry earth and leather with small amount of oak influence
Opened up with beautiful violet/ floral aromas with some time in the glass
Medium palate which echoes aromas of beautiful ripe red fruit
Medium plus tannins and medium plus acidity with nice length
Uncomplicated but delicious wine - great food wine as expected
GREAT wine for the price!
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11/22/2019 - fresso wrote: 87 Points
A bit of a tart cherry note. Good value.
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11/11/2019 - domco wrote:
Quite enjoyable, especially for $9. Nice fruit, mid weight with balanced acidity. Won’t blow you away. But... $9
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11/11/2019 - Jake112380 wrote: 87 Points
It’s fine. Dusty berries and a bit of acid. Light to medium body. Medium finish.
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11/2/2019 - jmcmchi wrote: 87 Points
Quite a solid Chianti, moderate+ acidity, muted nose and fruit. Interestingly, cherry notes only really emerge 10 seconds into finish
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11/1/2019 - carlosdavis Likes this wine: 89 Points
Decanted. Lean and tight on first taste on its own. Lovely acid and tannins well balanced against meatballs, pappardelle, abd tomato sauce.
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9/13/2019 - joraesque wrote: 88 Points
Terribly quaffable. 13.5% ABV.
88-89
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