Barone Ricasoli Chianti

Chianti is a Sangiovese-led red style, and bottles sold under that name usually follow a familiar pattern: bright red cherry and sour plum fruit, with dried herbs, tomato leaf and a hint of leather or dried orange peel behind it. Expect a medium body, fairly firm but fine-grained tannins, and high acidity that makes the wine taste fresh and savory rather than plush. Oak, when used, is usually restrained, so the wine tastes more of fruit and earth than of vanilla or toast. The finish is typically dry and moderately long, with a slightly bitter-cherry edge. The listing doesn't give a grape blend, vintage or ABV, so treat these notes as what the style suggests, not as a measured profile of this bottle. The acidity and tannin make this a food wine first. Tomato-based dishes are the classic match, because the wine's acidity keeps pace with the sauce: baked ziti, lasagna, eggplant parmigiana, a margherita or sausage pizza. Roast chicken with rosemary, grilled sausages, meatballs and mushroom risotto also suit it. Aged hard cheeses such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino soften the tannin. Very spicy or sweet dishes tend to clash with a wine this dry and tart. Serve it lightly cooled, at about 60 to 65°F (16 to 18°C). Twenty minutes in the refrigerator before opening is usually enough, since cellar-warm room temperature makes the alcohol and tannin seem sharper. Wines in this style rarely need formal decanting. If the first pour tastes tight, pour it into a decanter or a wide jug for 15 to 30 minutes. A standard all-purpose red wine glass, or a slightly larger Bordeaux-style bowl, gives the cherry and herb notes room to open up. On cellaring, this is best treated as a drink-now bottle. Entry-level Chianti is made for the table in its first few years, when the fruit is brightest, and there is no information here suggesting it is built for long aging. Keep it on its side in a cool, dark place until you open it, and finish the bottle within a day or two of opening.