Every Saturday, David Brenner of Villasfor2 in Abruzzo selects a delicious, top-value 'Everyday Italian Wine' for you to try at home - or enjoy on your Abruzzo vacation !

Chianti Classico. Terre de Mastri 2005. Co-Op Agricoltori del Chianti Geografico
Well, I guess it had to happen sooner or later - a duff bottle. Sod's law really that cork taint should have spoiled a bottle of Italy's most globally-recognised wine.  

What's all the more disappointing and irritating in equal measure is that underneath the truly dreadful, musty taste of this wine is just the faintest hint of something pretty good. As indeed it should've been - a wine from the absolute heart of Tuscany's Chianti Classico region, made in an above-average year by a generally very good co-op: ACG, based in Gaiole-in-Chianti just north-east of Siena.

The fact that any thoroughly decent and good-value wine should have been ruined by a piece of cork costing a few pence just fuels the debate about screw-top and plastic closures versus traditional cork.

Usually, I don't have any particularly strong feelings either way - particularly in the 'Everyday Wine' segment of the market. But this is a DOCG wine - allegedly Italy's best. It's not some blend of fruit juice and industrial alcohol, but a Chianti Classico - world-famous, trademark protected and with assurances of excellence. Given the hype - and even allowing for the odd mishap - we have the right to expect better.

It just strikes me as bizarre that given the consummate skill, care and professionalism that usually goes into producing a bottle of wine, why the same care isn't always taken over its stopper. Especially with a prestige wine, irrespective of its budget price.

We'll give Chianti Classico another chance later in the series. Probably. In the meantime, just be glad this experience didn't happen on your Abruzzo vacation !

Should you happen across this particular bottle, take some reassurance that cork taint isn't too common, (though not as uncommon as it should be), and that this is a wine with a good pedigree at a decent price.  But keep the receipt - just in case…

At A Glance…

• This week's featured wine: Chianti Classico. Terre di Mastri
• Vintage: 2005
• Producer: ACG (Co-Op Agricoltori del Chianti Geografico) Gaiole-in-Chianti
• Designation: DOCG
• Grape: Sangiovese/Canaiolo blend
• Strength: 12.5%
• Closure: Cork
• This bottle cost: €4.65

If you like Italian wine, why not check out last week's 'Everyday Italian Wine' - and bookmark this site for future weekly posts !

(Click on pictures in text for larger images)

Next week (fingers crossed…): Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico- Le Marche's best white wine from an excellent producer for you to try at home - or on your Abruzzo vacation !

This entry was posted on Saturday, April 19th, 2008 at 4:50 am and is filed under David's 'Everyday Italian Wine', Eating and Drinking, Vineyards. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.