Tomatoes have always been one of our favorite parts of summer. Whether raw and chopped into a bruschetta, baked into a tart, or cooked down into a rich tomato sauce, an in-season tomato is an entirely different fruit from the out-of season variety. For tomato inspiration, check out this list.
And chez nous (or a casa), when tomatoes are on the table, Poggerino is never far away. The lone Italian source in our portfolio, the Fattoria Poggerino’s star has risen dramatically in recent years. Writer Rajat Parr calls them “some of the purest expressions of the grape in Italy.” When the Wine Spectator profiled the vineyard a few years ago, they called their wines “impeccably balanced,” “pure” and “honest.”
Poggerino’s 2018 Chianti Classico bursts with intensity and energy. It’s at once expansive and well defined — it shows strawberry jam, anise, and a pleasant dustiness on the nose. The ripe fruit carries seamlessly across the palate, which is pleasantly mouth filling — but neither hot nor flabby — and the tannins are fine-grained and attractive. Look for notes of cherries and dried roses.
This is beautifully made wine without pretense, and at $5/glass it is a remarkable value. It’s hard to rival the Garenne Sancerre or the Gautheron Chablis for our best value at the $25 mark — but Poggerino makes an awfully good case. Serve it with Marcella Hazan’s iconic tomato sauce over pasta, or elegant roast lamb with rosemary and tomatoes.
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Poggerino Chianti Classico 2018
bottle price: $25
FREE EAST COAST SHIPPING ON ANY 12 BOTTLES