U.S. vintners discover Chianti-style sangiovese wines

United States winemakers have figured out that many Americans like the taste of medium-bodied Italian wines made from sangiovese grapes such as those made in the Chianti region of Italy.

I believe it's part of an overall trend toward more people drinking red wines in America.

West coast producers have been growing sangiovese grapes for a few years now, but the final product in a bottle is often different than the Italian version.

Typically, American sangiovese wines have less acid and more fruit than the typical Chianti. Both normally have a dusty taste.

American sangiovese tends to be more expensive.

I asked the wine-tasting group to compare five American sangiovese wines. Here are our findings:

- 2001 Guglielmo "Private Reserve" Sangiovese at $14.99. This wine's aroma showed sun-dried fruit, especially raisin, with undertones of leather. It was a pleasant, easy-drinking wine. The flavor of raisin carried all the way through to the finish, with accents of fig.

-1998 Lockwood Sangiovese at $15.99. This wine smelled of alcohol and dark fruit and strawberries. It had a smooth texture and a nice acidity. It had a long, smoky finish with plenty of dark fruit at the end. Tasters thought this wine would go well with duck or Italian sausage.

-2000 Seghesio Sangiovese at $20.99. The most expensive wine in the tasting, the Seghesio was clearly our favorite. The aroma was full of rose petals and plenty of dark cherry fruit. In the mouth, the fruit tasted very ripe, but the wine was dry. It simply had a richer flavor than the others. That made it No. 1.

-2000 Atlas Peak Sangiovese at $14.99. This winery was one of the first in California to grow and bottle sangiovese as a varietal without blending in other red grapes. This sangiovese had intense fruit in the aroma, with an impression of ripeness. In the mouth, it had a more mature taste like an Old World-style Chianti. The Atlas Peak was "true to the grape," one taster said. It was similar to the Seghesio, but more round or well-balanced and full-bodied. In this tasting, the Atlas Peak finished second.

-2000 Ca' del Solo Sangiovese at $17.99. The aromas of this wine had plenty of bright fruit, particularly strawberries. It had a lighter body, which made it easier drinking. This was a comfortable wine to drink by itself before dinner or with lighter foods such as pasta with mild red sauce.

In this tasting, the Seghesio and the Atlas Peak were clearly a notch ahead of the others.

Surfing the wine shelves

-2000 Nickel & Nickel Harris Vineyard Merlot at $40. Smells of fresh cherries and raspberries carried through in the flavor of this lush, easy-sipping wine. Hints of vanilla, spice and oak turned up on the short finish.

-2000 Sebastiani Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast at $15. Aromas of allspice and cherry were followed by the taste of lots of fruit, especially cherries. It had a soft finish.

-1999 Sebastiani Domenici Vineyard Zinfandel at $26. This wine smelled of fresh fruits, especially raspberries with a dash of pepper. In the mouth, it tasted of fresh raspberries and vanilla. It had a short finish with a hint of mint on the end.

-2001 Concha y Toro Xplorador Cabernet Sauvignon at $8. The aromas of this wine suggested raspberry and plum with dusty overtones. In the mouth, it was light bodied and somewhat out of balance. It had a very short finish with few tannins.

Questions can be sent to Frank Sutherland, editor, The Tennessean, 1100 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203 or e-mailed to editor