Chianti is a dry wine made from red Sangiovese grapes out of Italy. Used often as a dinner wine, it is named after the Chianti wine-growing region located in Tuscany. It is one of the most popular wines to have with pasta, pizza, chicken, red meat and cheese. Learn identify a Chianti-style wine with the following characteristics.
Instructions
1. Look at the appearance of the bottle. While Chianti wine is available in a standard glass bottle, it also appears as a traditional, squat-sized bottle encased in a wicker basket. Chianti brands can also be identified by a "Black Rooster" label, which indicates the region where the wine was produced.
2. Assess the color of the Chianti. It should appear as ruby red since it's made from red Sangiovese grapes. Vintage Chiantis, also known as Reserves Chiantis, appear dark red. Like other wines, Chianti should have a clear appearance rather than cloudy.
3. Smell the wine to make sure it is Chianti. It should smell like a blend of wildflowers, berries, cherries or plums as opposed to an old, musty scent.
4. Taste the Chianti. It should have a bold, strong flavor because of the acidity of the grapes and their skins, also known as tannins. Chianti should also have a fruity flavor similar to berries, cherries or plums as mentioned in Step 3.
Tags: Chianti should, also known, berries cherries, berries cherries plums, cherries plums