The Wine Experience

Wine of the Week!   February 24, 2006

                                                                             Listen

Ruffino "Ducale Gold Label" Chianti Classico Riserva 2000 $38

This week’s wine of the week is Ruffino Ducale Gold Label Chianti Classico Riserva 2000 is vibrant wine.  The golden color of the label is like a poster saying “buy me” when you see it on the shelf. 

Ducale Gold Label is only made in the best vintage years then aged up to four years before release. 

At about forty dollars, it’s a special wine but don’t wait for special times to enjoy it.  How about a nice Sunday dinner? 

Think of heartier Tuscan style foods like pork roast or a thick and juicy grilled T-bone or even a meaty sauce on your favorite pasta. 

The Ruffino Gold Label is classically Chianti, a supple Sangiovese… smoky but with dark berry flavors and a good backbone of acidity.  The lingering finish is like sipping violets. 

Ruffino Ducale Gold Label Chianti Classico Riserva 2000…Now that’s a mouthful… and in more ways than one.   It’s also our wine of the week. 

Pop the cork™.

Winemaker’s Comments:

The ripe, luscious nose shows intriguing hints of violets and iris, berry fruit, chocolate and smoke. In the mouth, it is rich, complex and elegant, with excellent fruit-acid balance and remarkable depth and length. The overriding impression is of velvety richness. Ruffino Riserva Ducale Gold is a ""vino di meditazione,"" a wine so compelling that it deserves the singular attention of the taster, undistracted by food. But, it is also an excellent wine to accompany richly flavored foods such as roasts and game.

The Ruffino winery was founded in Italy more than 100 years ago when two cousins with little background in wine began mining the region's riches. Ilario and Leopoldo Ruffino established I.L. Ruffino winery in 1877, purchasing raw wine from local growers (and producing some wine themselves), cellaring, finishing, bottling the wine, and selling it under the Ruffino name. They met with near instant success as their Chianti began winning gold-medal awards within four years. Throughout Italy and abroad, the name Ruffino quickly became associated with quality Chianti

When you read our thoughts, please remember that you may think differently.  A particular wine may be your favorite and not on our list.  Well, don't stop buying it because of that.  In fact, you may want to email us and let us know about it. These are our opinions but our FIRST recommendation is to go by your own palate.

A couple of other thoughts . . . first, prices are approximate.  They'll vary.  Second, different vintages mean different grapes and different tastes so our recommendation for a 2000 Merlot may not hold for 2001.

And lastly, we remind you to drink responsibly!  Now, all that said, here is a summary of  links to our suggestions.  Find one (or more) and pop the cork!

Read the fine print . . .

Wine consumption can have positive physical benefits or cause possible physical harm . . . the medical community is divided in some areas.  If you have any doubt, check with your doctor before consuming wine or any other alcoholic drink. 

Our information is well researched.  Recommendations are based on our opinions at the time of publication.  At the same time, recommendations change.  Also, there may be

significant variance in taste depending on storage, shipping, and other factors.

The Wine Experience is not liable or responsible for any consequences arising from the use of the information obtained from winexperience.com, wineexp.com or The Wine Experience radio show.

The Wine Experience is intended for adults (over 21 years old).  Drink responsibly and don't drink and drive!