With its soft rolling poggios (small hills), silvery olive groves, implausibly green vineyards and ancient-cypress-tree-bordered driveways, it's impossible not to fall in love with Tuscany. And its wines aren't bad either. Tuscany, in central Italy, is home to the sangiovese grape, a food-friendly variety that consistently delivers tart cherry-fruit flavours. Due to its high acidity levels, sangiovese is one of the few red wines that really dances when served with tomatoes or tomato-based sauces. Most wines from Tuscany are classified as chianti, with chianti classico being a subset of chianti's finest wines. Due to this region's warm, sunny climate, vintage variation isn't as critical when selecting a chianti classico.
Badia a Coltibuono chianti classico DOCG 2007, Tuscany
A medium-bodied wine, with masses of sour cherry, dried cranberry and anise-accented fruit. Fine-grained mouth-coating tannins. Dried savoury herbs flirt with red licorice flavours on the finish. An excellent example of classic chianti produced in a contemporary style.
Available for HK$240 at Montrose Fine Wines (tel: 2555 8877)
Capannelle chianti classico riserva 2005
Concentrated cedar and spice. Dried cherry, juicy fresh black cherries, dessert herbs and licorice. Furry texture, flavourful and satisfying.