Where's the good, cheap Sangio?

[Brent_C_l_a_y_t_o_n]

There are definitely values in Chianti and Rosso di Montalcino. I really love Sangiovese di Romagna Riserva for that price, but it is a different clone and expression, closer to Brunello in terms of fruit. Umberto Cesari is a sentimental favorite.

I sell this wine now, but la Rasina actually makes a straight Sangiovese (not Rosso di Montalcino, but Sangiovese Grosso) which would be $16-21 based on NY wholesale. It definitely delivers for the price point.

[Vince_T]

I popped a ‘15 Monsanto and while I liked it & is good value for $19, it doesn’t hit the same high notes as Felsina for me.

[Andrew_Demaree]

Mentioned upstream, Selvapiana’s Chianti Rufina is an excellent wine for $17 locally. I’ve gone through a bunch of the 2015 vintage over the last year and have a few more in the cellar before moving on to the 2016.

[IlkkaL]

You should look at Rosso di Montalcino…There are many in the $18-$25 range that are tasty. In good vintages they can compare to their bigger brother Brunello

With all due respect I think this designation is one of the biggest minefields out there. At one point I went through 12-15 Rosso di Montalcinos (from mostly well known producers) in a short timespan as I was interested in the value proposition and came out of it very disappointed. The styles are all over the place with many producers trying to do too much with fruit of middling quality. Very few wines felt “honest” the way a lot of Chianti Classico are and besides a couple of wines they just did not have the excellent drinkability and brightness of a good Chianti. I remember Il Poggione and Poggio Antico rising above the rest, although while being quite different from each other stylistically.

[dsGriswold]

In the Seattle area, have been able recently to get the 2016 Felsina CC for $14/bottle, and the 2016 San Felice CC for $15. Both are solid “Wednesday night with pizza” QPR partners.

Michael

I re-ordered the San Felice CC from Full Pull. I liked it better than the Last Bottle Brunello @$35 I had the night before.
Also liking the Sangio from several WA producers in the 20 buck range.

[Rich_Salsano]

Val delle corti sangiovese is my go to under $25 Sangiovese. Very good.

[Jim_Erwin]

San Felice Chianti Classico 2016, ~$16 + s/h. Splash decant for 1 hour or hold until 2020.

2016 Agricola San Felice Chianti Classico, Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti...

[Jurgen_Steinke]

Il Poggione Rosso di Montalcino.

[Gary_York]

Umbria
http://www.antonellisanmarco.it/web/eng/home.htm

Tuscany
http://www.castellolaleccia.com/

Castello di Cacchiano

[Kirk.Grant]

Casa Emma…

[Bill_Moore]

I’m loving all the great replies here. Thanks so much for the great recommendations (and keep 'em coming!). I’ll try to snag a bunch of these and report back.

Thanks again,

Bill

[Jim_Stewart]

Good, cheap Sangiovese? At the risk of excommunication, I am going to suggest a test drive of Da Vinci “regular” Chianti. I have not had it in several years but it used to be a good, cheap Sangiovese. FWIW.

[Nathan_Smyth]

The cleanest Sangiovese I’ve ever had was Anna Maria Socci’s 2015 Le Masse di Lamole Chianti Classico [I haven’t had the Riserva].

It looks LMdL has excellent distribution in New Jersey

MY BAD - as far as Free Wine Searcher goes, it’s only still available at Flatiron in NY: https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/masse+lamole/1/usa.

And it looks like Flatiron might be sold out:
.

.

[Chris_Seiber]

You can buy good Rosso di Montalcino for <$25. Lisini and Uccelliera, for example.

Those will be more flashy and flavorful than Chianti, so I’m not sure if that’s a plus or a minus for you, Bill.

[Mike_Grammer]

Argiano’s might be in that price range too down there and is usually good quality. Maybe Querecchio’s regular Brunello if you can get it? It has been historically priced in the C$35 range up here and has been good value for me.

How about some Morello di Scansano (e.g. Moris)? Thoughts?

[Jim_Stewart]

Bill, I gave you a “good cheap sangiovese” suggestion above (DaVinci Chianti $10-$12). Here’s another suggestion for a pretty good QPR Sangiovese in the lower part of your $15-$25 range that is widely available: Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico (currently about $16-$18 at Total Wine). YMMV. -Jim

[Peter_Shurman]

Like the RdM suggestions already mentioned, especially Il Poggione and Uccelliera.
I’d add Canalicchio di Sopra and Fuligni to that list of go to RdM’s.
Felsina’s Chianti Classico Riserva can be had for around $25.
Finally, Tua Rita’s Perlato Del Bosco, while an IGT, it’s predominately Sangiovese.

[Brent_C_l_a_y_t_o_n]

Good, cheap Sangiovese? At the risk of excommunication, I am going to suggest a test drive of Da Vinci “regular” Chianti. I have not had it in several years but it used to be a good, cheap Sangiovese. FWIW.

DaVinci= Gallo. I’ll get the paperwork started on your excommunication.

[Jim_Stewart]

mea culpa, mea culp, mea maxima culpa . . . oops, that might get me excommunicated from another organization!

[P_L_owet]

Go north. The best in Colli Fiorentini are great and cheap. Go north of the apennines to the hills of Romagna. The wines are dead cheap. Quality has improved drastically the last 5 years and no one notices. So they will continue to be cheap.

Specific recommendations? Hope at least some of these are imported to the US.
Thanks,
Peter