LCBO Sale Pick of the Week: Feb. 25

Straccali 2014 Chianti DOCG (Tuscany, Italy)

Sale $11.95, Regular $13.95
Discount (until Feb. 28): $2.00
LCBO # 621227 | 750 mL bottle

Tastes like: Bright red cherries with a hint of savoury herbs. Simplicity in a glass!
Pairs with: Cured meats, cheeses, a loaded veal sandwich.
Good for: Drinking from tumblers — on a porch, if you have it.
Alcohol: 13%
Drink: Immediately.

Why we're drinking this
You’ve heard this before: we love Chianti. Why? Because it’s cheerful and, often, cheap. Be warned, there are a lot of mediocre Chiantis out there, but you can avoid them if you know what to look for. DOCG on the label means the wine is “guaranteed” — that’s what the G stands for — in its origin and quality. That’s a good sign. (DOC wines are good too, just a tad more rustic and sometimes a bit thin.) Rocca Delle Macie is the maker behind this Straccali, and they can pretty much be trusted to make good juice. For $12, you can’t do much better.

Tasting note
A pretty, fragrant nose of sour cherries and a mix of dried and fresh herbs — this is the essence of Chianti. Hell, it’s the essence of Tuscany too! This is the wine you want to be drinking in the sunshine with a few plates of meat, cheese, olives and pickled delights. Simple, simple, perfect. This wine is mid-weight, bright and fruity, with fairly light smooth tannins and lively acidity. That bright, easy quality is the goal. This is a basic, straight-up wine from a solid producer. It’s the perfect house wine, as it should please just about every palate. If it doesn’t, that’s not the wine’s fault.

Find it at your LCBO
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This week's selection by kwäf Taste Bud Dick Snyder