Castello di Ama: Chianti Classico 2017

What's your choice of wine with pizza or pasta? My choice would most likely be Chianti.

Chianti is a red blend from Tuscany, Italy made primarily with Sangiovese grapes. It has aromas of red fruits (red cherry and plum) and dried herbs (cloves). It also has tartiness and coarseness, which are typical characteristics of Sangiovese. Chianti widely found at restaurants and stores are "Chianti" and "Chianti Classico," with the latter being a bit more refined and higher quality due to the production of smaller quantities from distinct historical areas, with most serious examples coming from the villages of Siena.

I enjoyed a bottle of Castello di Ama Chianti Classico from Siena, Italy, which is an excellent example of Chianti Classico. This wine is made from 96% Sangiovese and 4% Merlot grapes.

My tasting notes on the Castello di Ama Chianti Classico 2017 ($29):

• See & Swirl: The wine has a beautiful ruby red color with a bright red rim.

• Sniff: It has aromas with notes of cherry and plum and hints of black pepper, spices, and cigar.

• Sip & Savor: It has bold acidity and high, coarse tannins with tart cherry and plum flavors. It's very dry with sour red fruit-forward flavors and spices on the mid-palate, followed by a long complex finish with earth and mushroom notes on the back-palate. I had this wine with chicken parmesan and gnocchi with tomato sauce - an excellent pairing! I would highly recommend pairing this wine with food, as it is quite drying on the mouth. But don't worry, it would pair very well with any hearty dish, such as lasagna, pizza, or any meat dish.