The other wine we had with the two courses was the 2010 Fattoria le Fonti Chianti Classico from Italy.
The nose on the wine was pretty, with aromas of cherry, pine needle and vanilla but some heat was noticeable as well. The main flavour of the wine was cherry but it was more subtle than I was expecting from a Chianti. For the structure of the wine, heavy acidity with very faint tannin caused the balance of the wine to be off and it came across as hot on the finish. Unlike the Rioja, this wine was better on its own than with the food; with food the wine developed a bitter bite at times on finish which I didn’t like.
Here is the group rating for the wine - Mick – 89, Mark – 86 Kathy – 87, Amy – 87, Overall – 87.25.
Here is the LCBO information on the wine –
FATTORIA LE FONTI CHIANTI CLASSICO 2010
VINTAGES 295162750 mL bottle
Price $ 15.75
CLEARANCE SALE
Was: $ 19.95
Now: $ 15.75
Save: $ 4.20
Made in: Tuscany, Italy
By: Societa Agricola Fattoria Le Fonti
Release Date: Sep 14, 2013
Wine, Red Wine
14.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Style: Full-bodied & Smooth
Varietal: Sangiovese
Sugar Content: 4 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD - Extra Dry
Tasting Note - Black cherry and iris aromas with sweet chocolatey oak. Nice fresh fruit and refined tannins on the palate; quite round and soft for the vintage, but good tangy finish with sweet berry fruit. Drink: 2012-2015. Score - 90. (Richard Baudains, decanter.com, Nov. 2, 2012
Looking at the results, it seems like we have a tie in our Italy vs. Spain wine competition as both pulled the 87.25 overall rating. The Chianti at full price was more expensive than the Rioja but with the sale going on, it is now actually cheaper than the Rioja so was have a tie there as well. I would say this will come down to personal preference – you like fruit and acidity – grab the Chianti, you like a red with a dark flavours and tannin – grab the Rioja.
As for the food, the “Breechetta” was amazing as always and I really liked the style in how Mick did the pork chops as they were breaded but he did them in such a way that they didn’t feel starchy or heavy which was awesome.
For dessert we had a Caramel Crunch cake and paired this with a bottle of 2006 Dr. Loosen Beerenauslese Riesling. We have reviewed this wine before - http://zippysauce.blogspot.ca/2011/08/saturday-night-blackout-dinner-part-3.html so won’t be reviewing it again now. I will add however that it was a lovely pairing with the Caramel Crunch cake and hope Mick has another bottle tucked away somewhere.
Thanks to Mick and Amy for hosting and to Mick for all his hard work in making all of that wonderful food.
Cheers!
Mark
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