2011 Ruffino Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico Riserva

This was the third wine in the recent Snooth.com virtual tasting, the 2011 Ruffino Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico Riserva, a wine that's been produced by Ruffino since 1927.  This particular wine is a blend of Sangiovese (80%) with the balance Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, aged for 24 months before bottling and then aged a further 3 months before release.  This is also the only Chianti that has "Riserva" in it's name, hence the riserva riserva connotation!

The wine itself is a lovely garnet color in the glass with great clarity and a bit heavier appearance than the two previous wines we tasted.  The nose has a definite fruity characteristic that borders on "jammy" with aromas of ripe berries and cherry compote along with some rustic earthy notes of oak and peat.  The taste is very fruit forward, but not nearly as jammy as the nose would suggest, instead it's laden with tart cherry and red currant that transitions nicely to some mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured and balanced perfectly against the bright acidity to make for a long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a beautiful example of a riserva Chianti at a stellar price of about $20.  This wine would be great with a classic Tuscan ragu, or almost any hearty Italian pasta dish.  Tonight I am enjoying this one with some linguine and hot Italian sausage with onions and peppers, what better way to enjoy a hearty Saturday night?  Cin Cin!

2011 L'Ecole No. 41 Walla Walla Cabernet Savignon

A weeknight and I get to enjoy a wine from one of my favorite Washington wineries, L'Ecole No. 41!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of the 2011 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon, usually an easy choice for what's sure to be a nice bottle.

The wine is a beautiful ruby color in the glass with just a bit of opacity.  The nose is quite nice, with a combination of ripe plums, blackberries and tart cherry intermingled with some green herb notes. The taste is quite nice, with a bit of cherry compote and smoke at the outset, transitioning to some tobacco and earthy peat notes midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated and nicely structured to support the long, supple and very dry finish.  This wine reminds me a lot of the more classic Cabernets that you found 20 years ago, with a lot more finesse than many wine you find today.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a great bottle with the classic Cabernet characteristics that I've really come to appreciate over the years, and it comes at a descent price of just $39!  Tonight I am enjoying this with a classic Cabernet dinner pairing of rare grilled Angus ribeye with a baked potato and grilled leeks and Brussels sprouts, so yummy!  Cheers!