Chianti, Italy Red Wines
Red wine – we like it, you like it. Sometimes it’s really red, sometimes it’s less red. Sometimes it’s Barossa Valley Shiraz, sometimes Coonawarra Cabernet or McLaren Vale Grenache. New world, old world, weird and wonderful, traditional and cutting edge – if it’s red and it passed the Tasting Panel’s approval, it'll be listed here.
Which is the least tannic red wine?
Tannins come from both grape skins and oak. Pinot Noir is generally fairly low in tannins, as is Gamay, Barbera and Dolcetto. Rosé, given its limited skin contact and typical fermentation in stainless steel, is usually very low in tannin.
Red wines that spend no time in oak, or which are matured in older oak tend to have less tannins too.
On the flipside Nebbiol ...
- Alberto Bartali Chianti Riserva DOCG 2020$60.002020 was a low cropping, intensely fruited vintage - fairly consistently warm and foliage was retained until harvest; qualities which have led to an excellent vintage! This is a powerful wine with plenty of chalky tannins, so double decant a few hours before getting stuck into this one, and when you do, consider pairing with a lump of quality protein - will work beautifully with this wine's tannin profile. Red fruits here, dried cherries, tobacco, spice, hints of balsamic, oregano, coffee and more. This is complex, powerful and long, delightful now with a decant and one you can cellar for more than a decade. Learn More
- Alberto Bartali Terraiolo Organic Chianti DOCG 2021$50.002021 is one of the finest Chianti vintages in living memory, rated at 98/100 by Wine Spectator Magazine. This is a superb organic Chianti intended for consumption over the next 5-10 years. It has the expected fruit intensity and tannin grip of a young Chianti so decant and enjoy this with protein if you are drinking in the next 5 years. Red fruits and leather here, dried cherry, salami, espresso and a waft or two of high quality tobacco. Lovely! Learn More