Your First Experience of Tuscan Wines
Making your first purchase of Tuscan wines, or going on your first Tuscan wine tour? Here’s an article on what to expect, and how best Tuscan wines can be enjoyed. The first thing to know is that Chianti and Brunello wines are not easy, and neither are they meant to be.
Lovers of bold California styles may be a little dismayed at their first experience, but read on and let’s see if I can avoid that happening.
The Elegance of Tuscan Wines
Tuscan wines like Brunello and especially Chianti are lighter than most new world expressions. They also have a higher acidity. In Italy we refer to the sensation on the palate as being “elegant.” To understand our point of view, think of elegance in terms of dress sense, where the way a person is dressed gets them noticed, but not in an outlandish way. So for us, many new world wines are over dressed, there’s just too much going on. Of course it’s a matter of opinion…but here’s the Italian concept.
Wines Made for Food
Many Italian wines are made, and have always been made to be paired with food. The most well known wines from Tuscany, Chianti and Brunello are classic examples. Tuscan food is rather savory, and the combination of salt and fat will significantly reduce your perception of the wine’s acidity. However, having started out with a higher acidity, there will be still enough left over to keep the wine vibrant. In fact as the meal progresses, Chianti and Brunello wines improve continually, and one is naturally drawn to another glass.
Map of the Chianti wine district south of Florence
Stand Alone Wines
The concept of wine making in the New World, has mostly been to make stand alone wines that are easy to drink. And that’s just fine! Consequently they are much bolder with a lower acidity. However, when paired with savory hearty food, that low acidity will get lowered even further, resulting in a loss of flavor and freshness. Tuscan reds on the other hand will be perfectly balanced. This doesn’t mean that one is better than the other, it just means different wines for different situations.
If all you want to do is enjoy a glass of wine socially, or to watch you favorite film, then something in a California style would likely be the way to go. But, if your having a meal with savory meets and aged cheeses, open that bottle of Chianti.
American Tastes
It’s not easy to find American wines in Italy. In fact it’s not easy to find wines from other countries in general. Italy has great food and wine, but we’re also very narrow minded on the subject. Excellent products exist elsewhere, and I think it would do us good to try them more often.
However I’ve been a wine tour guide with American clients for 18 years, and in the past I would have said that Americans have a preference for wines with high levels of alcohol and residual sugar. A high alcohol level and bold flavor, also seem like you’re getting more for your money.
But in the past few years I’ve noticed that my guest’s tastes are changing. Delicate, acidic (elegant) wines are being increasingly understood and appreciated. I’m sure there’s a definite trend, and I admit it pleases me.
