…A tribute to cheap Chianti

Was there ever a more useful wine, a more food friendly wine, than Chianti? With their bright acidity, tart mouth feel and bitter cherry fruitiness, I have enjoyed them for many years, with many dishes (usually involving tomatoes) and have never yet complained about the price. Now I would never say ‘the cheaper, the better’ but in this case, I find I can enjoy the wine without overthinking it when it is cheap, as long as it is good! I remember drinking so much Montepulciano d’Abruzzo when I was younger, it was $9 for a 1.5 liter, tasted about like cheap Chianti, and we could pronounce it. How many meals I must have washed down with that wine!

First, let me say that I worship Brunello di Montalcino (maybe more of this in my collection than anything (besides Barolo) and I enjoy Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Chianti Classico and the Riserva. Then, let me say that as good as these are, they are also quite a bit more money than, and take quite a bit longer to develop than, simple Chianti. Sometimes you just want to slosh something red into your glass and drink it. No decanting, no pomp and circumstance, no mental wine, wine to drink. Maybe the biggest reason I have continued to buy cheap Chianti all these years is not only price, but its ability to match food, especially the stuff I cook at home frequently. Pasta dishes, marinara sauces, sometimes a plate of antipasti with olives, cheeses, prosciutto, roasted peppers, cherry tomatoes and some olive oil…oh yeah, and a big chunk of crusty bread. This is made for cheap chianti! When we open the big dogs, the food also elevates, becomes more high-brow… but that is rare, more often dinner is making pizza with my daughter, grilling sausages or chicken thighs, or picking at a plate of cheeses and meat… no better win in the world, my friend!

Shayne Hebert, Central Florida Wine Supervisor. Follow me on Twitter @ABCwineShayne