Sangiovese SHOWDOWN!!! (Blind Tasting my favorite RED WINE grape)

[@dtonpbac]

Thanks for your passion, sir. Your enthusiasm is making me even more thirsty to delve into the world of wines.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Awwwhhh thanks

[@AttorneySomm]

An interesting comparison tasting! It is tricky comparing some wines designed for early consumption with those designed to age, especially with vintage variation. Some beneficial takeaways nevertheless! Hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend!

[@drmatthewhorkey]

You hit the nail right on the head, blind tasting young wines that are meant for aging vs more easy drinking ones. Very good point sir, open something awesome today and tomorrow!

[@AttorneySomm]

@@drmatthewhorkey Thanks! You too!

[@1Oliveiraa]

I really think if some wines are made to age they should be sold only when they are close to the best time to drink

[@AttorneySomm]

@@1Oliveiraa Many do that in Rioja. Champagne too. But it adds a lot to the cost. Lots of Barolo would need to stay at the winery for 10 years or more. Few producers can afford that.

[@piffpaff1482]

I would not age one of the mentioned wines, in my opinion these are all drinking very well young🤷🏻‍♂..which one would you age?

[@prameshpatel9804]

I love your channel! Appreciate all the hard work you do so all of us can enjoy these videos and reviews. I went to Baida Coltibuono last December and had a blast in Tuscany. We liked the cultus and purchased a few and had them ship it. Question: How do you tell if a wine is more complex than others? Is it because it has more flavors and smell after each taste over a period of time?

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Thank you! Complexity is subjective but if wine has many noticeable flavors besides fruitiness, it can be considered complex in my book

[@eliasmarius]

Found the video 🙏😂. Terrific video, thanks for the tempranillo video as well

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Thanks and glad you liked it!

[@trevorhayes5414]

Awesome tasting. That was a fun video. Always like seeing how blind tasting removes all perceptions and is purely based on the individual bottles, and especially love seeing the results of the value priced wines compared to the more expensive bottles. Value priced wines, that's my wheelhouse! (and maybe one of the many reasons I've always been drawn to Italian wines is their general good values.) Definitely a lover of sangiovese too. VNdP for sure, and Chianti Classico, are my favourite sangiovese regions, but also have a soft spot for Chianti Rufina to the east of Florence (Selvapiana & Nippozzano). Lovely bike riding in the hills around Rufina, Pontassieve & Dicomano too. More sangiovese! 🙂

[@drmatthewhorkey]

You’ll see some Rufina on the channel soon

[@gustavomgomes]

My favourite aspect of good Sangiovese is the aftertaste . Above the red delicacy of the fruit , and the tannins. Cheers !

[@drmatthewhorkey]

It is an intricate balance indeed! Very unique

[@MrFlorinC]

You can buy the Morellino Reserva from Le Pupille for under 20$ in Germany. It' amazing value, I always grab a bottle when visiting my local italian supermarket... Tuscany is such a wonderful and diverse region for me. For all the Brunello's and Sessicaias out there, there PLENTY of wines selling below 20 EURs that will blow your mind. It's incredible value, fortunately still. Sometimes is fun playing the "find the budget banger" game in Tuscany, because there's just so much wine that qualifies ( especially if you are willing to go off the beaten path ).

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Agreed, there are so many amazing values to be had in Tuscany! That is quite the price for FlP

[@WYHC1001]

What a timing Dr. Matthew. I'm drinking a Chianti Classico Rieserva from Castalote. What a divers Grape variety!

[@WYHC1001]

@ Dr. Matthew Horkey, would love to hear your thoughts on Gran Selezione!!

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Ahhh nice! What’s important is that you enjoy it

[@nasos00]

Big fan of Sangiovese too! While I respect Brunellos, my palate tends to navigate towards Chianti Classico. Thanks for showing the other appellations, that's very helpful when looking to try new wines

[@drmatthewhorkey]

That is great! Exactly what I’m trying to get at here.

[@Simon77714]

Great tasting!:)

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Thank you, I enjoyed making the video

[@solomonmengeu1003]

Wow, amazing video and shows that in blind tasting quality transcends prestige, reputation, terroir, branding, etc. It was quite surprising to see the Banfi Brunello scored so low, but ce la vie. Out here in Taiwan the range/options of Sangiovese wines is increasing. As now you can find Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Rosso di Montalcino, etc. From importers and wine merchants/stores there are probably other options available. I am curious to taste Toscana IGTs with Bordeaux cultivars, but here they seem to be at the low plonk level and then the iconic wines from the famous houses (for $$$$). My wife isn't crazy about Sangiovese, so we don't drink a lot of it. One interesting development is that different regions are doing roses with Sangiovese and they seem to be quite good. I had one from Australia a few years back, as well as an off dry one from Columbia Valley. On Sunday at the Wine & Gourmet Expo Taipei 2023 I tasted another one from Clare Valley, Australia. Nice stuff! Great video and very informative.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Ahhh thanks! Glad to hear that there is a selection of VNM is Asia. I personally like rosé made from Sangiovese, what a pairing with Xiao Long Bao mmmmm

[@aox32]

Awesome! I had just bought a couple of the #1 Badia reserva wine the other day. Should buy some more since you rated it the highest. Love your reviews and energy.❤

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Thanks… You’re going to be drinking well for a long time

[@ryanlee2280]

Great video! I’ve seen the Badia a Colitibuono at a local store but never picked it up. I will definitely give it a try.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I'm a big fan of the producer for the classic Chianti Classico style.

[@ischgl89]

Simple rubicone sangiovese, being from emilia romagna, is really underrated in my opinion. Someday in the future I’ll be able too purchase a couple hectars in the hills here in Modena and I’ll try to pull out a great sangiovese!

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Ahhh good luck! I want to taste it when you finally do.

[@ischgl89]

Oh if it happens you’re the first one on the list!

[@CrescentRollCarl]

Great tasting. I love how it turns out like that sometimes where the least expensive wine is the best. Better even when its a smaller producer like that. Gotta love it.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Thanks. Blind tasting is powerful to take out biases

[@hocheye]

My fave Conca d'Oro or the golden shell! Started many years ago with Italian wine, Sangiovese as till my favorite.I had a bottle of sangiovese in Rome one at a small restaurant close to Piazza Novana it was fantastic but I cannot remember the name.Fontodi my fave from Italy. Blind tasting really shows that price is not related to quality.Great video!

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Thanks!! Go team Sangio

[@rodjacobs3396]

Love the video! And I appreciate your honesty again. I also love you showcased some Sangiovese from other regions. I know Sangiovese is grown in some other regions outside of Tuscana but I rarely seen them in my area and have always wondered about how some of these other areas stack up. And I've already learned that while some people shy away from high acidity wines. I really crave them. For me, they are great food friendly wines which mean a lot to me. But I guess I'm also just a bit of an acidity freak.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I think in general, when people go down the wine rabbit hole they start craving acidity more. There are some beautiful Sangioveses from all over Italy!

[@robdielemans9189]

Well edited, nice pacing, you've outdone yourself 🍷

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Thanks

[@fvrs3411]

Aha, the promised sangiovese tasting. Not drinking a sangiovese right now but another one of your recommendations; Château Pédesclaux. It does the job just fine. Cheers!

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Ahhhh nice! A good wine indeed

[@TheMacallan14]

I have the Basile myself. Some excellent wines coming from Montecucco area.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

It’s a unique area indeed

[@joelarose9589]

Once again Dr. Matt I feel like I'm taking a wine course in college. For me, you are the next Gary V. Thank you. My first introduction to sangiovese was the tan and gold labeled Ruffino Chianti Classico. I loved them for their vibrancy and early drinkability. I moved on to the big boy Brunellos, but that first love always brings me back to the gold label Ruffino, for everyday drinking.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Ahhh thanks but I though GV said you were the real competition 🤪. I also generally go for Chianti Classico

[@mikaelplaysguitar]

Great video! Funny that you should mention Salento, I tried a wine from there just the other day. Not Sangiovese but Susumaniello. First time trying (and hearing of) that grape.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

That is a very interesting grape indeed and it has enough acidity to make some delicious sparkling wines

[@stroopwafel6141]

Good point about scores being a snapshot. I also second that Rosso di Montalcino often is more drinkable/appealing than Brunello di Montalcino. One of my favourite Sangiovese wines is the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano from Dei. But I will be looking at your top-3 here. ))

[@drmatthewhorkey]

If you love Dei, you’ll see them featured here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mabGeaeIg9eCgKM

[@stroopwafel6141]

@@drmatthewhorkey Thanks. I should have been following you earlier. ;-)

[@ShortTermEffect]

Glad to see that the Morellino di Scansano from Fattoria le Pupille did so well. That's a great wine! Underrated appellation. You should check out the Fattoria Selvapiana Chianti Rufina Vigneto Bucerchiale riserva 2016. The best sangiovese-based wine I had so far this year.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Ohhh I know Selvapiana well! Thanks a lot and glad you enjoyed

[@lpgoodsale3427]

thanks a lot

[@drmatthewhorkey]

thanks for watching!

[@jfcyr2664]

That was fun! ~10 wines of well known variety, affordable & available (at least some), quick info, blind taste, Kudo for honesty.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Ahhh thanks! That’s my goal

[@brigodoro]

You can't believe how envy i feel. You drink a 1974 vigna Monticchio!!!!!!! Life is so unfair 😁

[@drmatthewhorkey]

🤓

[@javiersanchez-gr6bk]

Matt.. is there a "chianti" Sangiovese grape made wine made here in the USA? i live in San Diego CA... hope to hear back from you.. thank you

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Rarely (if ever) does Cali Sangiovese reach the greatness of Italy. Palmina does a decent job tho

[@rhendog7]

Sangiovese is probably my favorite grape right now, I drank half a case of that Badia Coltibuono Riserva last year (might have been the 16 or 18 though?) I LOVE the QPR that wines like these offer... The Banfi Brunello probably needs a few more years, Brunello's always seem to disappoint me when I drink them young :(

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Ahhh great to hear! I actually like to drink Brunellos on the younger side but I totally get you.

[@LadyAceRoxy]

What would cause the pine smell/taste in a Sangiovese? I’m familiar with Retsina, but never heard anyone say pine when tasting a red wine?

[@drmatthewhorkey]

A lot of things, sometimes it is oxidation

[@carsonw8223]

This is my kind of tasting! I'm not surprised at all you enjoyed the Banfi Brunello the least. I avoid it when choosing a Brunello. 2017 was not the best year for Tuscany either

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I though the 16’ Banfi was stellar… People do poo poo on the vintage but I’ve had some wonderful wines from 2017

[@carsonw8223]

@@drmatthewhorkey On your advice, I'll give a '16 Banfi a try, should the opportunity arise. I think I've only had the '15 and '17.

[@Verdadverdadera737]

where can I get the bisenzio?

[@drmatthewhorkey]

From them directly in Italy

[@Verdadverdadera737]

@@drmatthewhorkey crap

[@Verdadverdadera737]

@@drmatthewhorkey Do you have a video for Seggio Poddere Al Tesoro??

[@penndragon22]

These pretzels... are making me thirsty!

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Time to open something!

[@numanuma20]

Hi Kramer 😂.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Duohhh I am mad I missed that reference!

[@penndragon22]

@@numanuma20 90+ pts lol I was going full George! 🤣

[@penndragon22]

@@drmatthewhorkey I've opened Storyteller Cab Sav 2017 (Sonoma). Oh boy...

[@roberthajdu4029]

Hi Mat, I'm a Hungarian wine lover following your channel for a while, If you had to name your 3 most favorite sangiovese-based wines regardelss the price and indicating the vintage, what would they be?

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Whatever is in front of me when I’m in Tuscany ahahha

[@roberthajdu4029]

@@drmatthewhorkey come on man.....😆

[@freddieslaughter1107]

How does Sangiovese compare taste wise to Cabernet Sauvignon?

[@drmatthewhorkey]

More red fruit vs dark fruit for Cab

[@welshtoro3256]

I love Tuscany and Umbria. Seriously beautiful regions. Better wine in Tuscany, better food un Umbria. The wines of both regions deliver heavy tannins and ageing is required to bring out the best. Nevertheless, when I open a bottle and pair it with great regional food they taste great. Regardless of quality they share a sort of inky/earthy characteristic. A lot of Sangiovese is tight when you open the bottle. You can feel that it needs time to improve. Fun and informative video,

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Thanks! The food in Umbria is stellar indeed and the wines keep getting better and better. Stay tuned for an Umbrian themed video soon

[@yxthio]

the Soldera is probably the best sangiovese I've ever had the pleasure of drinking.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

ohhh lucky guy

[@wren460]

Decades of drinking wine and I have never liked sangiovese. Not only that, but overall I have a very difficult time with Italian wines with the excemption of Barolo and Barbaresco. Some super Tuscans I like, but they get super expensive. almost 90% of my tastings we do it blind, and the results year after year come out the same. Its not just me, we are 12 people in our wine club and none of us like Italian wines. Sassicaia, Petrolo Galatrona, and Flaccianello are my fav Italian wines.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Totally ok if they are not your cup of tea. I get it! Taste in wine is very personal.

[@brigodoro]

Villa Capezzana TOP stuff.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Yeppers

[@marknelson8724]

Wow. You blind tasted and my favorite producer comes up as #1. Blind tasting is how we stay humble. If you don't show up with a humble attitude, how can you learn anything new? I was again not surprised that the more expensive bottles need plenty of cellar time. I have learned not to use the $60-80 bottle unless it has had the cellar time to drink better than the $25 bottle. Sangiovese is not my favorite but it is a great food wine especially because of its higher acidity.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

It is very food friendly indeed. That producer is your favorite??? Very good taste

[@comesahorseman]

Yes, I've noticed that acidity. To me, that means the wine was meant to go with food. 👍

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Sangiovese is meant to go with food!

[@fanatiek1]

Sangiovese...not my thing at all. Too much accidity. But I love your enthusiasm and drive in this again sparkling video. Kudos!!!

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Thanks... I totally get it with the acidity but that's why I love it. The beauty of wine is the different tastes.

[@thomasbuseth4744]

oh yess another sangiovese video, lets goo!! what is your fav sangiovese wine?

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I lean often to Chianti Classico

[@Ruirspirul]

cant wait to watch the whole thing but who said Cab Sauv is a late ripening grape? it aint! pretty much ripens same time as Saperavi 😅

[@Ruirspirul]

wait a second, neither is Pinot, PN is early ripening grape, thats why it strives in colder regions… or I am tripping?

[@drmatthewhorkey]

PN is early ripening... I said late-ripening grapes usually have time to build more complexity, with the exception of PN (since it is early ripening). Cab Sauv is a late ripening grape among others

[@Ruirspirul]

@@drmatthewhorkey hmm I am confused but I trust you… 😆

[@brigodoro]

80 buck's for Banfi 2017????? Damn is expensive , here i paid it 28 so around $30 .

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Yes a lot in the USA

[@stefangmur2982]

In my opinion the Banfi Brunello has to be decanted for at least 2h before it shows. But i never tasted the 2017

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I was a huuuge fan of the 2016. This was my first taste of 2017

[@calsno1fanclub]

I’ve read some comments that the 2017 was a hot vintage and the ABV in some wines can be too high (15% and higher) and uncharacteristic of Brunellos. I think Banfi might be one of those “hot” wines.

[@eflinneflinn]

You know about the terrible flooding they've recently had in Emilia-Romagna?

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I just heard today!

[@Ruirspirul]

wait, isnt 2017 famously worst year for Tuscany? 😅

[@drmatthewhorkey]

Problem is that it followed the stellar 2016... The 2014 vintage was the terrible one

[@pintag3369]

2017 worst year in Tuscany? Hardly. Not in the list of great vintages for sure, but 2014 is the worst in recent memory and 2002 is probably the worst since 2000. 2017 is certainly better than those two.

[@dr7246]

I, broadly, love wines based on Sangiovese. I have a complex relationship to wines based on Nebbiolo- indeed barolo and barbaresco can be some of the greatest wines in the world. Still, for me, Nebbiolo has a texture that, in general, excites me initially, and then frustrates me as the bottle progresses. I know other wine geeks will think I’m a moron. I don’t care. That said, taken as a whole, the red Italian grape that I most connect with is definitely aglianico. That it can produce wines with the texture of Cabernet or touriga nacional, and have the acidity of Nebbiolo or barbera, keeps me absolutely interested.

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I agree with you on Nebbiolo. It can be GREAT but it can also be frustrating. You’ll see some Aglianico on the channel soon!

[@dr7246]

@@drmatthewhorkey excellent!