Chianti Classico: Carlino’s Tuscan Favorite
- “Chianti’s bold, bright flavor is such a natural accompaniment to Italian food “
Our last newsletter focused on the bold new Tuscan red wines. This week, take a closer look at the roots of the Super-Tuscan revolution in Italian wines and gain a new appreciation for Chianti.
According to Carlino’s Restaurant patrons, Chianti Classico remains a perennial favorite; given this affable wine’s long history of pairing beautifully with food, it’s no wonder.
The Original Tuscan Red Wine: Chianti Classico
When you think of Tuscan red wines, you might think first of the marvelous Super-Tuscan wines that have taken the wine-loving world by storm for the past decade and a half. The Super-Tuscans couldn’t have evolved into some of the world’s most popular cabernet sauvignon-based wines without their forerunner, Chianti Classico.
Made from Sangiovese grapes, Chianti Classico is Italy’s most famous wine and has been raised to an art form in Tuscany.
The agency that oversees Italian wines, the DOC, sets standards on the percentages of certain grapes that a genuine Chianti may contain. The DOC also delineates where Chianti can be made; a Chianti must come from one of seven provinces in Tuscany. Chianti Classico comes only from the Chianti province within the Toscano region.
The soul of a Chianti or Chianti Classico doesn’t come from a ratio, though; it’s the product of centuries of experimentation. The dark, intense Italian Sangiovese grapes form the wine’s backbone, but the DOC permits a great deal of flexibility with the other grapes used in a Chianti. That’s why these lively wines vary so much, and it’s part of their enduring charm.
Chianti’s bold, bright flavor is such a natural accompaniment to Italian food that the straw-wrapped bottles are still an iconic image next to a plate of spaghetti with marinara sauce. What sets Chianti apart is its blend of red Sangiovese and white Malvasia Blanca grapes more commonly used for white wines. This combination gives Chianti a buoyant fruitiness and lightness that complements everything from pasta to pizza.
Compared to their Super-Tuscan descendants, Chianti and Chianti Classico have an easygoing nature. They’re uncomplicated and cheerful like a convivial dinner with family, while their Super-Tuscan counterparts are more like an elegant dinner party with friends.
Whether it’s an assertive Super-Tuscan with its Cabernet Sauvignon lineage or a fun, fruity Chianti that embraces its Italian roots, the red wines of Tuscany deserve their esteemed place on the table. Carlino’s staff can recommend choice wine pairings for anything on the menu.
Sincerely, Carlo, Wali and all your friends at Carlino’s
Tweet read moreThe Red Wines of Tuscany
- “Wine growing regions of Tuscany”
The Carlino’s Restaurant wine poll (please see results below) has revealed that our customers most prefer Cabernet Sauvignon and Chianti Classico. They’re in good company; Italian vintners have spent millennia perfecting Italian Cabernet Sauvignon and Chianti wines. But nowhere else will you find such a unique set of climatic and geological conditions combine to form perfection more pronounced than in Tuscany.
Although grapes grow well throughout the country, Tuscan wines have a well-deserved reputation for quality. The fine marble that comes from Tuscany gives a hint about what makes the wines from there so special. The limestone-rich soils, famous for the marble produced from this region, is also the key to imparting the grapes with the robust mellow flavor that rival the other great wines of the world.
The Tuscan Reds: Super-Tuscan Wines
If there was an Italian wine that resembled the incredible creative power and artisanal mastery of Michelangelo it would be the Super-Tuscans. While some Italian wines use only Sangiovese, many also integrate Cabernet Sauvignon which bestows Bordeaux wines with their characteristic full-bodied flavor. Here in the warm Mediterranean climate, Cabernet Sauvignon grapes lends a different spiciness to the character of wines typically grown in French fields. The Super-Tuscans combine Italian Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon to create a new elite class of Italian wines.
Super-Tuscan wines evolved almost by accident. Chianti winemakers served these blends on their own tables, but never sold them until recently. The organization that oversees Italian winemaking, the DOC, didn’t know what to make of these wines that didn’t quite fit the guidelines for Chianti, but were so clearly related. Rather than fight their way through the DOC’s regulations, growers began producing their delectable Tuscan red wines and selling them without DOC categorization.
Wine lovers around the world quickly embraced these wines even without the DOC’s stamp of approval. The maverick winemakers’ instincts were correct; everyone loves these Cabernet Sauvignon-based Tuscan reds.
The oldest of the Super-Tuscans, Tenuta san Guido’s Sassicaia relies exclusively on Cabernet Sauvignon for its bold and complex taste. Wine-makers are notoriously secretive about their art, but it’s highly rumored that Sassicaia’s Tuscan fields were first planted with vines taken from Château Lafite-Rothschild. Recently, many wine enthusiasts have come to realize that Sassicaia has been eclipsed by Ornellaia, a rival from a neighboring vineyard. Although Super-Tuscan wines share similar characteristics from the same micro-region, blending and aging does make the difference. If you get the chance, try them both.
These are richly tannic and full-bodied wines with enough acidity to pair beautifully with tomato-based Italian sauces and flavorful game.
Sincerely,
Carlo, Wali and all your friends at Carlino’s
(Note: This is the first of a two part series on Tuscan Red Wines. Next we focus on The Original Tuscan Red Wine: Chianti Classico)
Carlino’s Restaurant Red Wine Poll Results
- “Carlino’s Customers Prefer Cabernet and Chianti”
According to Carlino’s Restaurant’s latest poll, 1/3 of our customers prefer Cabernet Sauvignon, 1/4 Chianti Classico, followed by Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Brunello.
Tweet read moreThe Feast of St. Joseph’s Day
The most well-known saint in March is Patrick, but Italian families also celebrate St. Joseph’s Day on March 19. This celebration of Mary’s husband has deep roots in Italy and particularly in Sicily, where medieval residents implored the saint to end a drought. The Sicilian populace promised to honor him with a feast day every year thereafter, so it remains an especially important Sicilian tradition.
- “San Guiseppe is the day for zeppole”
St. Joseph’s Day (la festa di San Giuseppe) is an important tradition in my family. Because the Feast of St. Joseph falls during Lent, historically a time for meatless meals, the celebratory dinner usually features plenty of seafood. Joseph was a carpenter, so many traditional St. Joseph’s Day dishes include bread crumbs that represent the sawdust of his profession. Shrimp oreganata with its seasoned bread crumbs is a perfect fit for a St. Joseph’s Day entree.
Desserts are also special on St. Joseph’s day because he’s the patron saint of bakers. San Guiseppe is the day for zeppole. Cream puffs, cakes and other pastries also honor the saint while wrapping up a festive celebration in the sweetest way.
- “Red honors St. Joseph”
Depending on where you visit, some celebrations of the saint’s day can be elaborate. New Orleans celebrates with a parade and food-laden St. Joseph’s Day altars, while in Chicago and New York, you’ll see many people wearing red to honor St. Joseph. Just as green is St. Patrick’s color, red honors St. Joseph and southern Italian heritage. In Sicily, beans are a must for St. Joseph’s Day. The first food the hungry Sicilians had after their historic drought ended was a bumper crop of fava beans, so beans are a part of any Sicilian observation of the feast day.
The city of San Juan Capistrano commemorates the day for a different reason: it’s the day the swallows return to the Mission of San Juan Capistrano. Named for an Italian priest, the mission is the oldest building in California.
You don’t have to be Italian to celebrate St. Joseph’s Day any more than you need to be Irish to embrace St. Patrick’s Day. Start with the stuffed mushrooms, have a bowl of hot pasta e fagiole loaded with beans, enjoy a platter of spaghetti pescatore and finish with a luscious sweet treat to be part of a uniquely Italian celebration.
Sincerely,
Carlo, Wali and all your friends at Carlino’s
