The Wine of the Week: Castello di Cacchiano Chianti Classico 2001

This was one of the wines that most impressed me at this year's Chianti Classico Anteprima, which was held this week. It's garnet ruby with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is deft, and elegant, with cherry fruit mingling with some sea salt and underlying spice from grapes; though it's quick to write there's quite a bit going on and one could spend quite a while sniffing it. On the palate it's medium bodied, with fairly rich sour cherry fruit supported by clean tannins that have a warm Sangiovese burr and flow into a fairly long slightly bitter tannic finish with cherry undertones. It's elegant in a distinctly traditional key and still very young; one could drink it with grilled meats or a beef (or venison) stew now, and enjoy it much, but it will reward those with the patience to give it time -- 5-8 years, and perhaps more. (From the Italian Wine Review