Chianti is Tuscany’s most famous red wine, said Patrick Comiskey in the Los Angeles Times. Justly renowned as a “friendly, red-fruited” wine, it goes well with substantial fare. But Tuscany produces other stellar wines—“call them Chianti’s cousins”—from Montalcino, Montepulciano, and Carmigiano. Today’s best Chianti bears virtually no resemblance to “the wine we all grew up with: spineless, overcropped plonk.” These three cousins of Chianti offer similarly exceptional quality. They’re a bargain to boot.
2005 Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona Rosso di Montalcino ($25) From a prominent Brunello maker, a gentle, cherry-red wine “with a light dusting of tannin.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
2004 Barco Reale Carmignano ($18) A ripe foil for braised lamb. Leathery and dark.
