Il Grigio Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2020

Summer grilling deserves a great red wine, and Il Grigio Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2020 from Siena, Italy is a full-bodied wine with layers of bold rich flavors that will complement grilled meat and garner compliments for the chef. We loved how well it paired with our recipe for Luxury Experience – Grilled Beef and Onion Kebabs served over couscous with sauteed vegetables and accompanied by grilled asparagus and fresh tomatoes. Saluti! Il Grigio Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2020 is imported to the United States by Total Beverage Solution.

Il Grigio Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2020, Italy

Bottle and Technical Notes: Il Grigio Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2020, Italy is produced at a Sustainable Winery Equalitas 3E. “Only the best grapes from our estate vineyards to make up this “Riserva.” The label shows Titian’s famous painting, “Man in Armour.” Look for the Chianti Classico rooster with the words Dal (since) 1716 on the neck of the bottle. 

The vineyard’s terroir is “medium textured, predominantly calcareous marl breakdown of Alberese and Galestro limestones with abundant gravel-pebble mixture. They use a spur-pruned cordon training system. The weather made an important impact on the 2020 vintage as a mild winter allowed for very early sprouting, followed by temperatures dropping to below 0 on the night of March 25, which strongly affected the Sangiovese with a dramatic reduction of the yield. Spring was nice with a mixture of rain and sunny days. Summer was warm but not excessive. Fruit reached perfect ripening quickly. Harvest was the second week of September and the first week of October. The wine displays extraordinary aromas and freshness, and the Sangiovese has great concentration due to the low yield.”

Vinification and Maturation: Fermentation on the skins at 28-30 degrees Celsius/82.4-86 degrees Fahrenheit for 18-20 days followed by malolactic fermentation in steel. 80% of the wine matured for 24 months in 60 or 90 hl in Slavonian oak casks, 20% in 225-liters French barriques, then 6 months or longer in the bottle.”

Tasting Notes: The color is a deep ruby red. Red-berry fruit, and violets provide heady aromas and entice the nose, followed by rich layers of flavors on the palate with balanced tannins and acidity that make for a memorable wine. Lots of viscosity leaves “legs” on the glass when swirled for a long and lingering delectable finish.

As we had previously tasted, appreciated, and featured Il Grigio Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2019, it was interesting to compare our tasting notes about both vintages and taste the impact of the weather had on the wines. While 2019 was a wonderful year for wine, 2020 has more intense concentration of the Sangiovese. Also interesting to note is that the Total Acidity for 2020 is 6.0 g/l versus the 2019 Total Acidity at a slightly lower level at 5.9 g/l, and the Residual Sugar for 2020 at 0.5 g/l versus the Residual Sugar for 2019 at – 0.5 g/l.

Il Grigio Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2020 has been recognized and awarded scores in the 90s from Wine Spectator (93/100). Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (92/100). Antonio Galloni, Vinous (92/100), and James Suckling (92/100).

Pairing Notes: We paired Il Grigio Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2020 with Luxury Experience – Grilled Beef and Onion Kebabs served over couscous with sauteed vegetables and accompanied by grilled asparagus and fresh tomatoes. The grilled meat really brought out the essence of the wine and made for a gorgeous pairing.

Luxury Experience – Grilled Beef & Onion Kebabs

Luxury Experience – Grilled Beef and Onion Kebabs
Serves 2

Beef and Onion Ingredients:

Method for the Beef and Onion Kebabs: Pour EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) in a shallow pan, add salt and pepper, add beef, and coat all sides with the mixture. Let the beef rest 30 minutes to absorb the oil and seasoning.

In another shallow pan, add a small amount of EVOO and salt and pepper and toss the onions to coat.

Prepare metal skewers by oiling them. Pierce one cube of beef then an onion and repeat. Grill until meat reaches your preferred stage of cooking (medium rare, medium, etc.) Place on baking sheet and loosely cover until ready to plate.

Asparagus and Tomato Ingredients:

Method for the Asparagus: Roll asparagus in EVOO and salt and pepper. Grill and set aside until ready to plate.

Couscous and Vegetable Ingredients:

Method for the Sauteed Vegetables: Heat a sauté pan, then add 1-Tablespoon of EVOO and salt and pepper to pan. Add onions and sauté until translucent. Add the zucchini and mushrooms and sauté until tender. Remove from heat, cover, and set aside.

Method for the Couscous: Bring water and 1-Tablespoon EVOO to a boil, add couscous, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Continue cooking for 1-minute, then cover and remove from heat. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork then add sauteed vegetables.

Presentation: Add couscous to a large platter or 2 plates. Place beef and onion skewers on the couscous. Place grilled asparagus along one side of the skewers, and quartered tomatoes on the other side. Garnish with fresh rosemary if desired.

Until next time, Saluti and Bon Appetit!

San Felice
Società Agricola San Felice, S.p.A.
Loc. San Felice, 53019 Castelnuovo Beradegna (Siena)
Italy
Telephone: +139-0577-39911
Fax: +39-0577-359223
Email: info@sanfelice.com
Website: www.sanfelice.com
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