Placido Chianti Review
From the historic Tuscan hills of the delimited Chianti DOCG zone, Placido Chianti is a popular Chianti under the Banfi brand umbrella. This review is specific to Placido Chianti DOCG 2011. This wine is comprised from three different varietals, Canaiolo Nero, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese.
According to the Banfi Wines tech sheet, “Maceration with the skins lasts for 8-12 days during primary fermentation. The grapes are pressed and a second fermentation takes place. The wine undergoes a malolactic fermentation and is then aged in temperature-controlled stainless-steel for five to six months before bottling.”
Alcohol content of Placido Chianti 2011 is 13.0% by volume according to the label. The price is about $7.00 per bottle.
Placido Chianti Tasting
Sample received for review purposes.
In appearance, the wine was deep garnet in color. A bit of light will shine through, giving a red to purple reflection. It’s a leggy wine, but the legs are slow to develop on the sides of the glass.
On the nose, Placido Chianti is super aromatic. More so than many other Chiantis I’ve tried. The aroma is earthy, both from afar and also when closely swirled. A slight whiff of alcohol is present. Other scents included a bit of blackberry and tobacco.
The wine’s flavor was smooth and lighter than the aroma would suggest. Tastes noted were black berries and perhaps a hint of cherry.
Placido Chianti is certainly a dry wine. Tannins were noted on the sides of the tongue.
The wine’s finish was very long, with the balanced tannins sticking around for awhile.
Overall, I thought this was a very enjoyable Chianti. It would not appeal to someone who does not like dry red wines. From a flavor and tannins perspective, I found it to be very similar to Banfi Chianti Classico. My favorite element of this wine was the aroma. This is the kind of wine that you can spend a considerable amount of time just enjoying the intense aroma. Even before tasting it.
Banfi suggests pairing Placido Chianti with meats, pastas and spicy foods. I would agree. Take in the aroma and enjoy!
