2013 Coli Villa Montignana Chianti Classico Riserva
Coli Villa Montignana describes this bottle of wine as “14 acres, 1,005 feet of elevation, soil is hilly, sandstone, calcareous marl mixed with shale and pebbles, 24 months aging. Pure blackberry and cherry aromas with a hint of violets. Full-bodied, luscious blackberry and vanilla flavors with balanced tannins on a long, velvety finish.”
Price: $20
Type: Dry red wine
ABV (Alcohol by volume): 13.5%
What I saw
This Chianti is a deep garnet color. It had medium tearing (when I swirled it, there were medium legs on the side of the glass).
What I smelled
When I swirled and smelled this wine, I got strong notes of blackberry and espresso. There is a strong alcohol scent to it and I also could smell some mineral qualities to it. My best guess would be the sandstone described on the bottle.
What I tasted
I would say that this Chianti had a medium acidity and also medium tannin to it. There were mainly taste earthy and mineral flavors. I tasted wood chips probably because this wine was aged in oak and I could also taste gravel which could be a result of the sandstone. I also tasted notes of cherry, but I think they were overpowered by the earthy flavors in the wine. It definitely was full-bodied like the bottle said, but for me the wine was more of a medium finish/length.
What would I pair this wine with?
This Chianti would go really well with pici (thick spaghetti) and cinghiale (wild boar) sauce. I could also see this paired with pecorino cheese, pasta with tomato sauce. Anything with tomato would pair well with this wine. I would probably drink this with coda alla vaccinara (oxtail stew).
Why this wine is good
This wine is good because it pairs well with food. I like Chianti by itself, but this Chianti in particular isn’t something that is easy to drink by itself unless it is paired with food.
Why this wine is bad
I think this wine’s earth and mineral flavors overpowered the classic Chianti flavors. When I think of Chianti, I think of Italian things such as espresso, oregano, and balsamic vinegar. Violets, cherries, blackberries, and vanilla are also common in Chianti, but as much as I tried, I could not taste any of those besides the cherries.
Is this wine worth the money?
I got this wine as part of a buy one, get one for 5 cents at BevMo, so yes, this wine is worth the money when you buy 2 for $20. I would not purchase this Chianti at the full price of $20. It’s worth the money when you can find it on sale, otherwise, save your money and find a better Chianti for $20.
Rating
*Disclaimer: I am not a wine expert. All reviews are my opinion. What I taste, smell, and see might not be what you taste, smell, and see.
