2006 Ruffino Ducale Chianti Classico Riserva

Hello everyone!! We enjoyed a fabulous meal tonight! We had duck with rice and lentils, and an arugula and grape salad. I love duck and this one came out particularly well. The wine was very good. I chose this wine because 2006 is supposed to be a terrific year for chianti and it's getting hard to find. I really enjoyed the wine and it was an excellent pairing with the food. The color was a deep brick red. The nose was of cherry, blueberry, a bit of licorice or horehound and a hint of forrest (cedar?). The flavors on the palate were true to the nose. The tannins were very smooth, giving the wine a silky feel (unusual for a chianti). It had a soft finish of cherry, vanilla, and black tea. It was not real big, allowing the delicacy of the Sangiovese grape to come through. It was of light to medium body, making it a nice accompaniment to the food. I really liked this wine. It managed to express a lot of personality, and do so without "shouting". I have another bottle, and while I believe it will age well for a few years, it's certainly ready to drink now.