DiVino may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.
In keeping with my numbers theme from Vino2010, just when I thought I’d had enough of Tuscany, I rounded the corner and spotted a familiar face, or label rather.
Sleek, sexy, and black with a big red 8, it was Numero Otto (number eight) by Castelvecchio. I’d tried it a few years ago at a wine tasting in front of the Pitti Palace in Florence. Believe me, there’s else plenty to remember in that city, so this guy definitely made an impression.
For one thing, it’s 100% Caniolo Nero, which is typically a Chianti blending grape. It’s aged for eight months in French barriques (one reason for the name, the other is a loving tribute to the family dog, Otto), which adds elegance and depth to an otherwise medium-bodied fruit and floral.
Delicate but interesting, there’s a note of violet in the nose, and it cascades like velvet over the palate, which is highly unusual for such a young Tuscan red from Chianti territory.
