September’s “Last Saturday” Wine Tasting
September 26th, 2007
Saturday, September 29th
4pm until Close
Rassegna del Chianti!
It’s September, time for a celebration of all that is Chianti in, well, Chianti. September is when the Sangiovese ripens and harvest begins this week through early October. We’re drinking Chianti, and cooking with it too, in recipes like Sausage in rich Chianti sauce served over Polenta, Risotto al Chianti e Portobello, Chianti marinated Filet. Saturday’s Wine Tasting is all Chianti Classicos and Riservas paired with Tuscan Salume; spiced salames and olives to whet your appetite.
Chianti Classico and Classico Riserva must come from our favorite zone, where we also find Radda in Chianti. The black rooster, or Gallo Nero that you’ll find on these bottles denotes membership in the Chianti Classico Consortium, signifying a better class of Chianti, which is good to know when you have five minutes to pick up an impressive bottle for a dinner party.
The Rules:
The grape that makes the most important contribution to the production of Chianti Classico, with a ratio that ranges from 80 to 100%, is Sangiovese,
Chianti Classico wine must have the following precise characteristics, as prescribed by law:
- Color: a bright ruby-red tending to garnet with maturation.
- Odor: vinous, with a scent of violets and a pronounced finesse that develops in the maturation phase.
- Flavor: balanced, dry, sapid and lightly tannic, fining in time to a velvety softness.
- Sugar: maximum of 4 grams per liter of reducing sugars.
- Minimum net dry extract: 23%.
- Minimum total acidity: 4.5 ppt.
Another element of the production code, which is of fundamental importance, is the requirement that, in addition to vinification, all operations involving the preservation and bottling of the wine as well as its fining in the bottle must be carried out within the production zone.
“Last Saturday” Tasting:
Four Chiant Classico and Tuscan Salume, $20 per person.
Saturday, September 29th, 4pm to Close!
