Monte Antico Toscano 1998 (Sangiovese)

[zenda2]

Tasted with cold roast beef, sourdough, and mushrooms & noodles in a garlicy tomato sauce w/ricotta.

color: dark garnet, translucent.
nose: Oak and wild cherry.
taste: cherries, tart and wild. vanilla from the oak. lemony acidity.

Overall impression: A smooth and tasty bottle of sangiovese, this went well with the beef, altho the garlicy tomato sauce worked it over against the ropes during the first few rounds. The wine kept it's mitts up and by the end it was clearly the master of the situation. At $8 a bottle this is a step up from the usual generic chianti and on par with several of my favorite lower priced chianti classicos like Piccini. Good QPR, a nice bottle to have on hand as cold weather moves in. Nothing like a midwinter taste of sangiovese to put sunshine back into your bones.

[utahwino]

I've had the '97 plenty of times and also found this to be a great value at $8 - $12 a bottle.