Chianti for a wine tasting

[misterjive]

In keeping with the above advice, Isole e Olena and Castello dei Rampolla are two of my favorite producers, and both are highly regarded by people with more experience than me. To me, Isole e Olena makes Chiantis with exceptionally bright fruit, that slightly tart cherry note for which Chianti is known. Isole e Olena is also somewhat more "old school" in that their Chiantis tend to exhibit more acidity and less oak than the chianti with which many Americans are enamored (I have always thought that Ruffini Riserva Ducale Gold-label is less a Chianti than a Super-Tuscan in disguise!). Castello dei Rampolla makes the famous and fabulous Super-Tuscan Sammarco, and their Chianti can also be used as a measuring stick for the designation. Some more top-notch producers--Monsanto (especially their famed "Il Poggio"), San Felice (please see my comments on their riserva Il Grigio in the "Wines Without a Category" folder), and Badia a Coltibuono (a big-time marquee name in Chianti). Now, as if all of that isn't enough, you might want to include a Super-Tuscan as one of your selections, as the pairing of Sangiovese and Cabernet can achieve magical results. I would suggest serving one Chianti (or two), one Super-Tuscan (or two), and one California 100% Sangiovese (or two). This would allow you to compare and contrast the various styles of Sangiovese-based wines now being made, and I have a hunch that the latter two categories might appeal to many of your guests more than the traditional chianti, even if (or should I say especially if?) they are professed Chianti-lovers. If such a tripartite organization seems excessive, be advised that many producers make half-bottles, with those by Isole e Olena in particular being in wide distribution.