A work colleague of mine dined at a local restaurant here in Ottawa (Play Food and Wine) and enjoyed this wine from Italy. He liked it so much that he located the importer, a wine agency (The Small Winemakers Collection) and ordered a case. Now I have dined on a few occasions at Play Food and Wine, they have great food, lots of small plates and their sommelier consistently puts together a great wine list, with many wines available by the glass. So when my colleague offered a chance to be part of the case purchase with him, I quickly said yes.
This wine is a blend of 80% Sangiovese with 15% Canaiolo and 5% Merlot in a supporting role, maturation taking place in big Slovenian oak barrels and alcohol coming in at 13.5%. Bright ruby red in color, this wine opened up with aromas of red fruit, sour cherry, violet, spicy and herbal notes. On the mouthfeel, light-medium bodied, dry, juicy, bright spicy flavours, lively acidity and smooth tannins. This wine finish is lively and edgy with fine chewy tannins lingering. There is a good reason why Castello Di Verrazzano Rosso 2010 is on Play's wine list, its mouth-watering acidity and its food friendly nature makes for many food pairing possibilities. You have most likely heard the expression "Super Tuscan", but have you heard "Mini Tuscan"? This term was on the wine label, talk about unpretentious, it is what it is, a delicious lighter bodied (like a spicy Pinot Noir) wine, which I paired with spaghetti and it worked beautifully. Very good value, score 89 points.
Available through The Small Winemakers Collection agency $17.35 / bottle ($208.10 a case).
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