Chianti Classico DOCG, Italy; 14.5% ABV
$6 at the Richmond, CA, store on 23 June
This wine looked promising as a select designation (Chianto Classico DOCG) in a good year. It’s not spectacular, but it is pretty good for the money.
I decanted this and came back to it half an hour later, when it was already surprisingly tasty, with flavors of tart, medium dark, red cherries balanced by tannin and some bitterness of seed, stem, and wood, in a medium body. After an hour or slightly more, it had darkened to include plum / purple grape, but it wasn’t until about two hours of air that I felt it really relaxed and fully opened, with the seed / stem moving to the background. Even after three hours of being open, it’s still quite tasty, showing the flavors above plus a little orange and a hint of licorice, with the same earthy tannic finish. It’s hardly the most substantial Chianti, and it should probably be drunk up soon, but for the price, it’s quite good. None survived to see the next day, but I’d guess it would be okay.
The magical world of wines from Grocery Outlet 
Just opened this having passed on it in the past given this review. I thought I’d try it for $5 and I agree wholeheartedly. It’s brash and unpolished. Fine for $5 and competes with any other Chianti Classico at this price point I had in Italy.
This is a very nice Chianti from a real winery. 2010 was a great vintage in Tuscany.
I BargainWhined it for like an hour, but it never fully opened up. Yes it’s the ultimate vintage, but never quite got there. The Villa Travignoli blows it away. Btw, I need to find more of the VT, so if anyone is seeing it locally please let me know where.
Berkeley had the VT yesterday
Richmond still had it when I was there a few days ago.
Did you get any?
Nope. I felt like you had it covered, so I got stuff that hadn’t been discussed yet. However, since you’re so insistent about it, and since it’s so cheap, I’ll get a bottle if I see it again.
I just figured we all wanted good wine at a cheap price
Most of the time, I prioritize “research” over “tried and true.” 🙂
I thought the review was spot on. I enjoyed it – well made but not much length or distinctive. I bought a bottle of the Villa Travignoli and am really curious to try it after so much praise.
Picked up a couple bottles of the Villa Travignoli based upon Weinish’s enthusiastic review and comments.
Upon popping the cork, the wine was brilliant, dark red and medium-bodied, with a complex, fragrant bouquet of leather, spice, pepper, black cherry and some earthy funk. Flavors of black and red fruit predominated, in a dry, somewhat balanced body showing a little roughness and acidity. This may smooth out over a day’s time, though.
For $5 here in Seattle’s Skyway GO, this Chianti is clearly a nice buy.
However, compared to the Duca Petraccone 2010 Primitivo reviewed by BW earlier, available for a dollar more, IMHO that Italian wine is a little more polished, refined and satisfying from the first sip onward…
;}
On the second day, the VT Chianti’s fragrant nose became more subdued, with the wine growing darker in color and more robust and heavier in character. Still slightly rough and acidic, but a nice quaff nonetheless…somewhat “rustic”…
EHL, forgive me but I”m confused. Are your comments referring to the Villa Trasqua that this review/thread is about or are you referring to or the Villa Travignoli that Weinish was champioining? Both are “VT’s”
I’m laughing to myself since I figured the VT confusion would happen, but I think EHL is referring to the Villa Travignoli, Expat.
Sorry…yes, I was following Weinish’s initial reference of “VT” to the Villa Travignoli Chianti. Silly of me not to notice the potential conflict…lol.
Guess all of this thread should’ve been in the “Guest Contribution” or “What’s New” columns, since that is where this wine first surfaced.
;}
Also, an interesting, complimentary review of the Villa Travignoli, SRP $23, from Snooth’s Gregory Dal Piaz, on page two: http://www.snooth.com/articles/chianti-is-now/.
Drinking a glass of the VT right now, on the third day, while watching Wimbledon and it’s pretty tasty still, with a slight acidic and tannic finish…
;}
Sorry; don’t agree with most of the comments. This wine, on opening, set my teeth on edge. Yes, there are plum flavors but overall the wine opened very harsh. After being open two days it was less harsh but still too much so.
Ouch. I’m sorry to hear you had such a bad experience with a wine I recommended. I am puzzled, though, about why it would have been so jarring. It struck me as reserved and acid, but not exceptionally so for Chianti.
Agreed with Barginwhine. A solid Chianti for the price but none too exciting. Maybe with a Tuscan steak it would shine.