Food September 2006 Atlantic Monthly

Five Noteworthy Sangioveses

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"Wine Therapy"

(September 2006)
What makes the wines of San Patrignano so distinctive? It's not just the grapes. By Corby Kummer

Percarlo, San Giusto a Rentennano. The Martini di Cigala family makes what the authority Burton Anderson has called “the most virile pure Sangioveto,” made in the hills near Siena.

Castello di Ama, Chianti Classico. Managing Director Lorenza Sebasti and the winemaker Marco Pallanti have long stood for quality and stubborn individuality; all of their wines are worth trying (and their olive oil is too).

Riecine, Chianti Classico. This British-founded vineyard, originally part of the famous Badia a Coltibuono estate, has for more than thirty years produced exemplary Chiantis, now under the direction of the winemaker and co-owner Sean O’Callaghan.

Fattoria Paradiso, Sangiovese di Romagna. The variety of Sangiovese raised at San Patrignano, this one made by well-established and respected winemakers nearby, the Pezzi family of Bertinoro.

Avi, San Patrignano. San Patrignano’s big-deal all-Sangiovese wine, a consistent award winner. Its Noi, a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, is versatile enough to be a weeknight wine.