Wine Tasting Blog: Gabbiano 2011

My latest wine tasting blog post is a result of my Dad's repeated quotes of Hannibal Lecter's affinity for Chianti and some favre beans. This is my first experience with Chianti and this particular one is a Gabbiano 2011. It was made in the Tuscany region of Italy and cost around $17. Here is a quick review from Prestige Wine & Spirits:

"Ruby tending to light garnet. Lovely aromas of ripe cherry lifted by a note of iris. Focused cherry and plum flavors are brightened by persistent notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. Though not a powerhouse, this well-structured wine possesses a smooth texture and considerable finesse."

-Prestige Wine & Spirits

This wine seems pretty light in color compared to the reds that I have seen before. And in terms of initial smells, it is rather lacking. It has a light musty smell to it for sure. That is pretty much the only thing I am able to detect off the bat, just a musty alcohol smell. The taste is also showing the same characteristics. It comes off as very dry, musty, and alcoholic. The more I taste it, the smoother it gets which is proving to be pretty enjoyable. And once it settles there actually seems to be a light fruity taste. It may just be mental after reading reviews, but I think I do taste a bit of plum towards the end of each taste. After letting the wine breathe a bit the alcohol did fade away enough to where the dark fruit taste comes out. I did not pair this wine with any sort of food, but I could actually see it going well with favre beans, so maybe my Dad does know what he is talking about. As far as wines go, this one is pretty smooth and enjoyable. But as far as Chianti goes, I think my personal preferences lay elsewhere. I could certainly see a Chianti drinker liking this wine, and would recommend it to them for sure.