| Chianti
Classico and Indian Food
The beauty of a decent Classico is that it is spicy,
with softer tannins and a full mouthfeel with berry
fruit flavours and it can be drunk on its own. The acidity
balances the fat in the Indian food and can well handle
the fat in the kababs. If you are not a food-and-wine
perfectionist, Chianti Classico is very enjoyable wine
not only with pastas, pizzas, chicken and lamb dishes
but also with Indian Tandoori because of its spiciness
and softness.
Roccato 1997: My favourite wine from
Rocca has been Roccato- the super Tuscan made from an
equal proportion of Sangiovese and Cabernet. The best
vintage in the last 20 years (some insist even the last
century- they could be biased) was 1997 and the well
structured, ageable Roccato '97 showed its best vintage
at the Tuscan Lunch we had with Mama Zingarelli that
afternoon and it showed how the Classico producers are
using Sangiovese as the main grape varietal and coming
out with excellent blends.
Fontodi Chianti Classico at Sensi in Bellagio
|
Manetti of Fontodi with Michele Shah |
Sensi Restaurant at the Bellagio is a fine dining restaurant,
specialising in Mediterranean, Asian and Indian fusion
food. It was a no brainer to select a wine for the select
group of invitees. But it turned out to be an occasion
to demonstrate that the Chianti Classico can be good
value- for- money quality wine.
Chianti Classico 2001 from the Fontodi winery in south
of Panzano, owned by Giovanni Manetti is considered
a fine wine- though his Flacianello della Pieve, the
100% Sangiovese based Super Tuscan is an excellent wine.
At $238 a bottle I thought it would be unfair to the
hosts; so I settled for a Classico magnum costing a
royal $128- but at lower end of the totem pole in the
wine price list. (How I remembered our 5-star hotels
ripping us with their obscene prices! this was like
eating at a 7-star hotel- in- India prices!).
I have always believed that a good wine is when the
second bottle beckons you, followed by possibly another
one. We ordered the second magnum followed by a regular
bottle, although I had also ordered a Soave Classico
for white wine drinkers.
Needless to say my introduction about the wines and
the winery and the gyan was complimentary to the guests
who were almost more attentive and appreciative than
here in the motherland.
Le Corti Classico at Michael Mina
|
Principe Corsini Estate |
It is worth mentioning the presence of Le Corti Estate
Chianti Classico at the Michael Mina restaurant in Bellagio,
where the star Chef Michael Mina of San Francisco specialise
in seafood with Mediterranean touch in the sell- out
restaurant every night. Though I had ordered a Joseph
Drouhin Pommard 2004, being a more affordable $98 a
bottle, the Classico from Principe Corsini Estate also
made an impression.
( The restaurant stocked even the Premier Cru and Grand
Crus of Joseph Drouhin at astronomical prices. Exclaims my friend Frederic
Drouhin, owner of the biggest family owned winery in
Burgundy,' Vegas is a fascinating market, there are
so many things to do and not enough wine to supply it.
The Bellagio hotel could swallow alone the whole allocation
of my grands crus in the US market!')
Principe Corsini in San Casciano is owned by Duccio
Corsini, a descendent of Beghum Samru, ruler of the
principality of Sardana near Merut. She is known by
the Church she had got built in 1822 in Sardana. Duccio's family not only makes fine wines and olive oils but owns a big size Renaissance style villa-converted
into agriturismo with huge gardens and a breath-taking
view, a perfect spot for an Indian destination wedding
(more on that at a future date).
In the end, Las Vegas is truly and perhaps one of the
few cities in the world which offers world's finest,
rarest of the rare vintage wines, with food to match.
Only your pocket book needs to support your palate.
Chianti Classico is just one category of wines available,
which are respectable, drinkable without burning the
proverbial hole in your pocket.
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