Monsanto Chianti Classico usually works for me.
If I can believe cellartracker this comes close to what I am looking for.
I hear you there. Mostly insipid second rate wines. But, I’ve got some insight otherwise. From a quality site, and given slightly more hangtime than “the recipe” calls for for other common grapes, the flavors go from simple/boring to explosive, without losing vibrancy or aromatics.
I need to do a trip there someday, heard there is good Barbera in those foothills.
Usually we go to Santa Barbara or Paso because its closer.
Vino Noceto has a Barbara also. But their focus is on Sangiovese.
I agree with David Bueker; I don’t like Brett-y wines but for me Fontodi rather than Felsina is often rustic in that regard but I still drink them with pleasure because the wines are otherwise quite good. One that’s pricier than both but with brilliant fruit is Rocca di Montegrossi CC Vignetto San Marcellino (sometimes a CCR, sometimes not).
Montevertine makes 3 wines at 3 price points, with the Pian del Ciampolo being on the low end. The one in the middle which is about $10-$20 more is simply called Montevertine. At the top is Le Pergole Torte which is the only one of the 3 that is 100% Sangiovese, and is at about a c-note. I think many would agree that LPT is among the purest expressions of Sangiovese available. Trying a bottle off the Montervertine would certainly worth your while.
1 Like
I had a Valdicava Rosso del Montalcino last week which was very aromatic and pure tasting. just sayin’
If you like Isole e Olena, their Cepparello is a fantastic 100% sangiovese.
Just opened a 1998, pure and bright. Very youthful.
1 Like
Drinking a 2009 Fontodi Chianti Classico. I was thinking before I got online, what a beautiful expression of Sangiovese.
I don’t dislike Felsina, and I agree with you that Fontodi is even more so, but I think both fall on the dark/leathery/gamey side of Sangiovese expressions. Especially those Felsina library releases, which I’ve always wondered about storage on - I’ve run into quite a few with brett blooms, whereas the new releases are more consistently clean.
As someone who as realized this year that they LOVE the ‘pure’ expression of sangio (I hate that vocab, I don’t think Felsina is any less ‘pure’, just different, but we all know what we mean when we say ‘pure’), I find Chianti to be a total minefield, even among good producers. I’ve had luck with Isole e Olena and San Giusto; less so with Felsina or Fontodi. Lots and lots of luck with Brunello (and Rossos), as long as the oak isn’t too over the top and the producers are well-chosen. Sotto is obviously very firmly in the “pure” camp, as is Biondi-Santi. But they are so expensive. A lot of the cheap Brunello producers are also pure, if you find ones that haven’t cheated. Also Montevertine.
I’m still early in my sangiovese moment, but what I’ve realized is that, like Pinot, it has the advantage of being a real shape-shifter. You can have the same appellation, same vintage, and quality minded producers can produce wines that taste like they are from different planets. I mean Soldera is the poster boy for dark, deep, rich Sangio, and those wines kick ass. But they taste NOTHING like Biondi Santi. The difference is remarkable.
Monsanto is very nice . Pure expression of Sangiovese
Also concur with all the endorsements of the "Mon"s (Montevertine, Monsanto, and Montesecondo). All, especially Montevertine, convey a lovely “purity of essence” of the grape. None really fall beneath the $20 ceiling, but they’re all worth the $5-10 premium above that threshold.
Bill
+1 for Riecine, when you can find it! Fantastic and pure.
Also, look into Castell’in Villa. You can find their 2011 right now for around 20 bucks per bottle, and it’s a great example of Sangiovese.
I agree with the Rosso do Montalcino recommendation for “pure.” 100% sangio, typically with less oak than Brunello.
But my own tastes, I’ve come to prefer the Felsina expression. I still buy some wine from Montalcino, but we drink Felsina and Fontodi CC faster than just about any other red wine. I just love it, and for me, it’s one of the great bargains in wine.
Looking for a simple yet true to varietal Sangiovese.
. . .
My idea of Sangiovese is cherry fruit, earthiness and spice.
So what you are looking for is not a “true to varietal” or rather, variety, Sangiovese, but a Sangiovese that meets your idea of what it should be - i.e. cherry, earth and spice.
That’s not a bad iteration. I’m just not convinced it’s more “true” to the variety than any other version, from Italy or anywhere else in the world. I had an Australian version a few days ago and thought it was a damned fine wine.
1 Like
The 04 and 06 Selvapiana Buceriale riserva are amongst the best Chianti (Rufina for those scoring at home) I’ve had. Not sure about the ‘pure’ part though.
1 Like
I’ll just randomly add some names I haven’t seen mentioned here. Villa Rosa (Giulio Gambelli was heavily involved here), Monteraponi, I Fabbri, Montenidoli (Colli Senesi), Buondonno’s Casavecchia alla Piazza Riserva in good years. Not all of these are 100% Sangiovese, of course, but all have great purity of expression 
Within this criteria, I only know one to recommend: Selvapiana Chianti Rufina.
Moving up a bit in price: Le Boncie, Montevertine and Riecine.
1 Like
[/quote]
Within this criteria, I only know one to recommend: Selvapiana Chianti Rufina.
Moving up a bit in price: Le Boncie, Montevertine and Riecine.[/quote]
Turns out I bought a few 2012 bottles of this at a tasting about a year ago, it was $17. Opened the first bottle back then and remember not liking it so much and did not seem like what we had at the tasting. I am going to try the bottle I have left and see how it goes.