Supermarket Wine of the Week! Chianti Contralto, Sainsbury’s, 12.5%, £5.75

Ok so I know we already did a Chianti a couple of weeks back when we looked at a Tesco’s Finest Classico Riserva….but in this Contralto we’re looking at a very different wine despite the similarity in name.

This provides an interesting look into the diversity of wines under the Chianti umbrella. Plus, if you’re looking for some quaffable table wine for barely more than a fiver, then we’d be doing you a disservice not to draw this one to your attention!

It’s fresh, not too heavy, and has a nice bit of acid to get your taste buds bouncing. This is in contrast to the aforementioned Tesco’s Riserva, which was much more about fully body and dark fruits, and was one full per cent stronger alcohol-wise.

There’s definitely a place for a fresher Chianti like this. And with summer finally beginning to peak it’s head round the corner, we’re becoming increasing less interested in the big, ballsy fellas, and more tempted by lighter reds with less body and more acid; save the inky stuff for a winter’s evening in front of the fire!

Being Chianti, however, it’s still dominated by Sangiovese, and Sangiovese is a grape with a full, savoury and sometimes spicy flavour. So even with a Chianti on the lighter and tarter end of the spectrum (like this) you’re still getting a decent thwack on the palate. Therefore it will stand up to meat dishes and pasta with strong sauces. The good level of 'tang’ in it means it would also be a great pair for some of the richer, creamier cheeses…something like a Taleggio would be a delish combo, or if you want to go French - camembert and brie.