Every Wednesday, wine editor Alec Stuart shares a few tasting notes. This week it’s Ciao Sangiovese.

You won’t see a lot of TetraPak wines on store shelves here. Nor will you see a lot of 1-litre Sangiovese retailing for just over $12 (actually $12.11 at your local MLCC).

The Ciao Sangiovese (from the coastal plains of east-central Italy’s Terre di Chieti) manages to combine both of those into a decent little wine.

I’ll be honest, it’s really just your typical pizza red. I wouldn’t recommend this for a fancy dinner with friends. But for the price, it’s great to take home and enjoy with pizza tonight. The wine shows off a rich, deep purple colour in the glass.

The nose was a bit “rustic” (read: kind of funky) at first, but it softened out nicely. In the glass, I found a hint of oxidization in the wine, but it didn’t take away from the earthy fruit flavours and tannic goodness. Serve this with food, preferably something big enough to stand up to the wine. And as a bonus, it’s organic too.

Ciao Sangiovese
$12.11 @ MLCC