This wine is showing a little age with slight bricking just beginning at the rim. It is an opaque garnet with a bouquet that is throwing gorgeous cherry fruit into the air from its place on the table. Cherry and mushrooms rise on the swirl along with a lovely pipe tobacco and a touch of licorice.
Palate--For a wine of this age it should be prime yet it is chewy (tannic) with cherry as the predominate flavor with an earthy foundation that is slightly tart. This is classic Sangiovese that is not up to the vintage. At $30 retail which is what I paid, I expect more out of a wine.
We had this wine on our 35th and blogged it accordingly if interested to see the difference 2 years of aging makes. I paid $70 for it at a restaurant on our 35th. The pairing? A bizarre spread of appetizers consisting of Baked brie with puff pastry and jam, Eel, Salmon and Tuna sashimi, bruscheta, three cheese raviolis with tomato pesto.
Re: pairing--this was not the classic wine to serve with our spread of appetizers but it worked none-the-less. you just don't take a sip of your wine right after downing some sashimi with wasabi and soy. Wait a few minutes. If you like the wine--go for it regardless what you are washing down just realize there will be better combinations especially with spicy tastes.
All in all, it is hard to go wrong when sharing a dinner and a bottle with the love of your life. We have been together more than twice as long as we were old when we met. Everything is better with your best friend so raise a glass to our 37th year together in faithfulness truly blessed by God!