TN: 2009 San Giusto Chianti Classico -- vs Riserva Ducale Oro

I’m trying not to open the rest of my 07 San Giustos. They are just too good, but I want to see how they age.

I’d been told the 08 wasn’t so great, and a friend I trust told me the 09 needed a few years to mellow out, but I served a bottle blindly tonight to a brown bag group, decanted about an hour ahead.

What a joy! Some bright sour cherry in the nose. Piercing red, sour cherry in the mouth, with good acidity and a bit of tannin in the mouth. This is 95% sangiovese and 5% canaiolo, and tastes just like Chianti should in my books. It’s got body and oodles of flavor but it slight on its feet. Full name: 2009 San Giusto a Rentannano - Chianti Classico. What a steal at ~$23. 88 points for me, and an amazing QPR.

By contrast, on Sunday I ordered a 2005 Ruffino Riserva Ducale Oro (gold label) Chianti Classico in a restaurant in Saratoga Springs. I figured it would match well with a wild pour and tomato pasta and another pasta with mushrooms. Sadly, it just tasted like cabernet. I’m sure it was (at least) at the 15% max of cab. No charm, not grace, no fruit. Blecch! I didn’t even finish my wine.

The San Giusto beats the Ruffino hands down!

John,

We are of a similar persuasion on the subject. Sangiovese is a wonderful grape, which is capable of producing profound wines, but it doesn’t play well with others; in this case French grapes as Canaiolo, Mammolo and some other archaic Tuscan grapes do work well. In blind tastings, I have often rejected Chiantis with as little as 5% Cabernet, Merlot or Syrah, because they ruined the Sangiovese character for my palate.