The month of May features the first grand tour of the cycling calendar - the Giro d'Italia. The three week route began in Hungary and then transferred to Naples to race from the South to the North.
Not surprisingly, Italian hero, and time trial specialist, Filipo Ganna won the stage. Overall race favorite, Jonas Vingagaard, did not look sharp and raised concerns about his overall fitness. Jonas used the mountain stages, in the final week of the race, to show his climbing prowessand put his critics in their place by winning the overall classification by more than 5 minutes.
This Lucha Vino challenge features the Wolfpack Cellars Sangiovese taking on a tough Villa Antinori Chianti Classico challenger. Like Ganna, most would expect the Chianti Classico to take this battle. Let's see what happens...
Tale of the tape
100% Sangiovese
Frenchman Hills Vineyard in the Royale Slope AVA
Aged for 28 months in neutral French oak barrels
$40 at retail. The 2022 Sangiovese is sold out. Watch for their next release.
2022 Villa Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva 
The exact blend of grapes appears to be proprietary. The blend is simply listed as Sangiovese with complimentary grapes.
The exact blend of grapes appears to be proprietary. The blend is simply listed as Sangiovese with complimentary grapes.
Fermentation and initial aging takes place in stainless steel and then the blended wines are moved to oak for final aging of about 18 months.
Purchased at Total Wine for $36.99
Round 1. First Opening
Wolf Pack Cellars saunters into the ring oozing an air of confidence. The nose features dark cherries, light smoke, leather, mushrooms and light herbal notes of eucalyptus and sage. The palate leads with tart cherry followed by leather and white pepper with smooth tannins and medium acidity all wrapped up with a slightly sweet finish reminiscent of jolly ranchers.
Antinori is a veteran luchador flashing old school penache. The nose is showing black cherry, savory olives, brambles and tobacco. The palate brings similar notes of bing cherry and tart brambles with medium acidity and light tannins followed by a slightly sweet pipe tobacco finish.
This round was extremely close with the wily veteran from Antinori taking the points by a slim margin.
Round 2. One Hour After Opening
The Wolf Pack is amping up their strategy sliding into the ring and taking down the Italian challenger with a flourish. The nose is doubling down on the dark cherry notes along with lusher cherry compote aromas and herbal eucalyptus. The palate brings on dark cherry, brambles, white pepper and a slightly sweet cherry pastry finish all while maintaining firm acidity and light tannins.
Antinori seems stunned by Wolf Pack's aggression! The nose is showing stamina with notes of bing cherry, tobacco and light olive tapenade. The palate also remains true to form with bing cherry and pipe tobacco while introducing white pepper to the attack.
Wolf Pack takes round 2 to even the match 1-1. We're on to round 3 to see who will take the victory.
Round 3. One Day After Opening
This is it. Let's see which of these Luchador's has enough left in the tank to take the final round and the match.
Representing Washington, the Wolf Pack luchador is bigger and bolder for this final round. The nose fires off with dark cherry, logan berry, eucalyptus and fennel. The palate also brings dark cherries and light licorice and fennel notes.
Antinori is holding steady with a nose of bing cherry, olives, tobacco and light smoke. The palate doubles down on the bing cherry along with tart cedar, leather and a light graphite tannin finish.
The Antinori has remained consistent, but will it be enough to take the final round and the match? No it won't! Wolf Pack went big for the final round shooting the gaps and taking Antinori to the mat for the vicotry.
Wrap Up and Overall Observations
The Wolf Pack Cellars Sangiovese is excellent and shows the quality of fruit from the Frenchman Hills vineyard. It is definitely worth waiting for the next vintage to become available.
The Antinori Chianti Classico was a bit darker in style and equally enjoyable.
Both are highly recommended!
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