Which of these reds with my garlic sirloin?

[Deputy]

Alright guys, hopefully I can catch one or two of you before dinner's ready (two hours or so from now)

I'm making a good sirloin in a garlic and herb marinade. It will be served with a baby spinach salad with an olive oil/dijon/balsamic vinaigrette dressing (has goat cheese, roasted almonds, currants, and garlic in the salad).

Here are my wine choices:

- 2003 Rocca della Macie Chianti Classico DOCG
- 2002 Nipozzano Riserva Chianti Rufina DOCG
- 2004 Folonari Valpolicella DOC
- 2003 Sinnya Robertson Merlot
- 2002 Zunio Old Vines Zinfandel
- 2003 Cremaschi Furlotti Reserve Carmenere
- 2003 Mirassou Pinot Noir
- 2005 Cono Sur Pinot Noir

(I also have a few whites - homemade Semillon Chardonnay, homemade Sauv Blanc, Feudo d'Elimi Sicilian Grillo, a BC Gewurzt, Burgans Albarino, a Spatlese and a BC Pinot Gris)

Thanks! I hope someone gets this!

[barnesy]

Either of your chiantis would work well, probably the riserva would be best.

Barnesy

[Deputy]

Thanks B, I should have left the Riserva off the list because I'm saving it for an upcoming dinner, so I'll go with the Rocca.

Kudos.

[Innkeeper]

Any except the Pinots and the Valpoly.

[Deputy]

So I went with the Rocca and found it to be quite nice...but also quite rough.

Is it a common Chianti characteristic to have a real woody/tree bark/mouth drying feel to it? It was kind of weird, the fruits were real nice in the wine, definite berry flavours and it was relatively light, but it also had this characteristic where the roof of my mouth just totally dried out...almost like what happens when you eat an apple strudel and the pastry dries out the roof of your mouth.