A splendid offering this week from middle Italy is Booths’ own 2009 Chianti Reserva (Tuscany). With big hitting, bold, flowery aromas and classic fruity flavours of orange and blueberry, it's a great match for any classic Italian food.
This Chianti is a thoroughbred made from sangiovese grapes, grown at an altitude of 3,000 metres above sea level. Combined with the soil, chalk and Pilocene, which is millions of years old, and growing at such altitude, means the grapes develop a greater flavour that is apparent here.
When it comes to food matching this wine the possibilities are endless. Classic Italian tomato sauces, red meats and stews would all create a great collaboration. We pitched for classic beef fillet: the two were a match made in heaven, the spiced notes in the wine was an equal partner for the richness of the beef.
Available from Booths at £6.99 a bottle.
Faye Ramsey is a wine connoisseur and owner of the Porto Restaurant in Bowness
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