Consistency isn’t easy. And while it’s nice to drink expensive wines it’s impossible for most to do this on a regular basis. So it’s imperative to have a stash of wines on hand that can be opened on a whim – so called “Cellar Defenders” to coin a phrase.
One such wine I turn to regularly to fill this role is the Castello Banfi Centine. For about as long as I can remember, this wine has been $10-$12 depending upon where you see it. It’s a solid red comprised of Sangiovese with the addition of some international grapes that provide the wine a bit more “heft” than many have at this price point. I’ve written about Centine before and it’s consistency is impressive. Today’s article is about the newly released Centine, the 2011.
The wine is pretty medium violet color. It looks youthful and fresh. The nose is very aromatic and more complex than I would suspect. There’s pleasing aromas of black cherry, cocoa, and red clay. In the mouth, the wine is medium bodied and easily enjoyable. Persistent flavors of dark cherry, cinnamon and dusty earth add just enough complexity to make this interesting. There’s little tannic backbone to this – it’s not as formidable as it’s young sibling, the 2009 which I enjoyed slightly more than this vintage. However, as I mentioned at the outset, this is reliable, tasty wine that is – perhaps most importantly, affordable and versatile enough to pair with a wide array of food. 87 points. $11.
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| ~ Centine is a solid value & a “Best Buy” from Tuscany ~ |
January 14, 2014
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