Colognole Chianti Rufina – The Definition of Savory

Sangiovese from Chianti Rufina, Tuscany, Italy.

Available for as low as $16.

From the bottle:

“The Colognole estate winery has been owned by the Spalletti family since 1890. Of its more than 700 hectares in the Rufina hills of Tuscany, 27 (66 acres) are in the vineyard. The cool summer breezes from the nearby Apennine mountains encourage the unique character in Chianti Rufina wines: excellent balance, elegance, and significant potential for long-term ageing.

13.5% Alcohol”

As we’ve noted before, Chianti and all the various sub-zones and classifications can be quite confusing. Today’s wine comes from Chianti Rufina, a sub-zone of the bigger Chianti region that is generally thought of as producing some of the best Chianti (along with the Chianti Classico region). The Rufina area offers winemakers a slightly higher elevation and a bit cooler climate which helps influence the flavor of the grapes. And our selection today is definitely flavorful!

The 2007 Colognole Chianti Rufina begins with a wonderful aroma dominated by savory sour black cherry and violet notes. The savory theme continues when tasting this wine which features saliva-inducing flavors of juicy sour black cherry, dried herbs, a little smoked meat and excellent acidity. It was a fabulous match for our sausage pizza. On the wonderful, long, dry finish the flavors of the wine intensify into tasty spice and bright mineral notes. Fantastic — this is the definition of savory!

See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.

Find out more about my rating system and check out the Wine Ranking to find all my reviews! You can sort by type of wine, cost, rating, etc. in the interactive database.

Like The Reverse Wine Snob on Facebook!