The 29-year-old Italian Chianti scored 18 Dionysian points of the scale of 20. The 1988 Checchi Spargolo Capitolare di Cardisco Tuscan red has 12.5% alcohol, cost under $24 back then, and is a classic example of single vineyard Tuscan wines.
Spargolo is a wine to age 10 to 15 years and then always enjoy with a meal. It’s complex flavors add to any dish.This wine peaked at 20 years old and has held since then; I expect it to begin declining soon. Leather, spice and lingering red fruits aided the meal.
The wine spent 18 months in large oak casks and then 6 more months in small barriques to add complexity. There where only 20,034 bottles made, or just over 1600 cases for the entire world. Seek out some new ones and age them.
Beats contrasted the old wine’s flavors while the chicken married with it. Keep meals simple.
Remember, old wine should be the featured item of a meal with foods selected to enhance the wine. You’re drinking the summer sunshine of days long past. In vino veritas.
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