Wine Review - 2012 Umani Ronchi Exclamation Point Sangiovese: Better Than Average Chianti

We were kindly provided this wine by local wine agent Mer et Soleil.  Celinda from Mer et Soleil gave us a few selections from Italy to try and this was our first selection from the group.  At $14 locally we figured it was a nice price point.

As a point of reference we use the term Chianti and Sangiovese interchangeably as Sangiovese is the main grape in the Italian blend known as Chianti. We sometimes find Chianti to be light and really tart instead of more medium bodied and the tartness can go to the point of bitterness.  That means we take a cautious approach to these wines when we buy them.  Cheap Chianti can equal bad Chianti pretty easily.  This wine is 100% Sangiovese and the good news is that is not the case here.

Sangiovese can be light in colour and almost transparent in the the glass.  This wine from the Adriatic coastal Marche region of Italy (which is a very French name for an Italian wine region) is much darker than that.  It is crimson and definitely looks like the medium wine we would expect rather than the lighter versions we have seen.

There is a new oak smell on the wine but we would hazard to guess it hasn't spent that much time in oak.  We also get cherries and little black pepper which lends nicely to a clean overall nose on what we would consider to the a young wine.

As for flavours, the wine is tart and tannic but not overly so, which gives it a bit more balance.  The main notes on the palate are sour cherries and more of the piquant pepper.  Sometimes the lower priced Chiantis of the World can be thin and bitter, even under-ripe but this wine is not like that at all.  It is tasty and would be great with food especially Pasta with Marinara.

	Tasting Notes:	Score:
Sight (0-5)	Crimson and darker than most Chiantis we've had	4.0
Smell (0-5)	Spicy and cherry laden nose with a hint of oak	4.0
Taste (0-10)	Tart and tannic but a little balanced. Sour cherries and pepper dominate the palate.	8.0
	Total:	16 / 20 (80%)

Great everyday drinking wine that doesn't hit the wallet too bad.  It is priced right and worth a try.

Keep on tasting!

Chris & Shannon