It was found on the clearance rack by someone who was not only familiar with it, but also very enthusiastic about it at its usual $25 price. He was super-geeked at finding it for $3.99 a bottle.
Chinato is an aged wine made from Nebbiolo grapes infused with China Tree bark, rhubarb root and aromatic herbs and spices. It has a long tradition in the Piemonte region where it is produced and where it was believed to be a disease remedy.
In the glass, it appeared a pale garnet color with a brick-orange rim. It had clean, medium intense developed, primarily herbal aromas of sage and fennel with licorice, vanilla and earth. Medium sweet, medium+ tannins and acid with high alcohol (16% abv) and a medium+ length bittersweet finish. It was oddly intriguing with a somewhat Jagermeister-esque quality; I swirled, sniffed and tasted a few times.
The website suggests serving it as a meditation wine, an aperitif with soda on ice, neat as a digestive aid after dinner or warmed with an orange slice on a cold winter's night.
I'll recommend it as a meditation wine for when you want to recall a Jager-fueled, misspent moment from your youth; you may want to include a few friends, I think there may be a limit on how much you can enjoy alone.
How intriguing; I'll be sure to grab one if I can find it! Marcarini makes very good wines.
ReplyDeleteIs there a vintage?