2001 Allegrini Volpolicella Classico

[stevebody]

Raises the question of just what IS Chianti nowadays? Used to be this sorta light, almost spritzy stuff that was seen but not heard (or tasted) with an Ital dinner. Now that we have stuff like the Coltibuono Roberto Stucchi and the Castellare Classico - both of which are right assertive, does that mean that, to preserve tradition, we have to drink the old flaccid stuff? I fully expect any traditionalist reading this to take a lead pipe to me about typicity and regional character but I think the Italians should determine what Chianti is. I got "un-Chianti" loud and clear. The international style is a LOT more fulsome, interesting, and a far better value than MOST of the trad stuff. Homesick Italians used to sit around drinking that sorry plonk out of the basket-bottom bottles back when I was a young actor in NYC but even they didn't like it a lot, from what they told me.

Chianti is changing. The whole world is.