Washington Sangiovese vs. Chianti Classico

The Strade Bianchi is an Italian one day race that kicks off the early season bike racing with exceptional style!  

This year's edition did not disappoint with one of the most dynamic young riders, Tom Pidcock, winning the race.  Pidcock is a mountain bike and cyclocross world champion that is bringing his game to the road racing circuit.  He announced his road racing potential at last year's Tour de France with a historic win on the Alpe de Huez.

On to this year's first Lucha Vino challenge with a match up between a Washington Sangiovese flexing muscle up against a Italian Chianti Classico.

2018 Mellisoni Lake Chelan Sangiovese v. 2017 Carpineto Chianti Classico Riserva.

Tale of the Tape

Mellisoni 2018 Lake Chelan Sangiovese

100% Sangiovese from 8 year old vines planted on the upper slopes of the Mellisoni Lake Chelan estate vineyard.  Harvested September 23rd at 24.5 Brix and pH 3.49.  

Aged for 22 months in Seguin Moreau French Oak, 50% New & 50% Once Used with an additional 2 months of bottle age.

2017 Carpineto Chianti Classico Riserva 

Made from Sangiovese, Canaiolo and other red grape varietals.  Aged in Slovanian and French oak barrels of various sizes for a year or longer.

Washington Sangiovese vs. Chianti Classico

With the World Cup causing a delay in the start of le Tour, we are given some time to pause and reflect on the first grand tour of the year – The Giro d’Italia.

The Giro always offers plenty of intrigue and dynamic racing.  The race occurs early enough in the year that many of the mountain passes are still covered in snow.  In addition to the weather, the organizers are always striving to deliver something new and innovative in attempts to one up the French!

This year’s race brought plenty of drama, most of it focused squarely on Chris Froome.  Not so much for his racing, but for his elongated battle over illegal levels of Salbutamol found in his system during last year’s Vuelta Espana.  Froome crashed in the first stage of this year's Giro, shed additional time in the early mountain stages and then made a miraculous come back to win the overall classification.

This week’s Lucha Vino matchup features a Washington Sangiovese taking on the grand champion of Italian Grapes, a Chianti Classico

2014 Mellisoni Sangiovese v. 2013 Brolio Chianti Classico Riserva

Washington Sangiovese vs. Chianti Classico

Any cyclist that has ever raced a criterium or cyclocross race is familiar with one of the final warnings given by the race official "Don't ride backward on the course!"  I'm not sure I have ever heard an official at a road race give the same warning.

So, what does that have to do with this week's Lucha Vino challenge?  I'm riding backward on the 2017 Giro d' Italia course!  My journey started in Piedmont and now I am tracing the route backward to Tuscany.

Stage 11 starts in Firenze (Florence) and travels East to Bagno di Romagna and includes five climbs along the way.  These types of stages are often the places that separate the men from the boys, the contenders from the pretenders, the climbers from the sprinters...  You get the picture.

This week's Lucha Vino match up features a Washington Sangiovese taking on a Chianti Classico from Tuscany.  Which one of these Luchadors will prove to be mightier than the other?

2014 Casa Smith Sangiovese v. 2013 Felsina Chianti Classico

Washington Sangiovese vs. Chianti

The Giro d' Italia is going full gas coming into the conclusion of one full week of racing.  The 8th stage finished in Tuscany on Saturday.  Gianluca Brambilla took a solo stage victory after going on a long range attack.  Not only did he win the stage, he also moved into the Maglia Rosa taking the overall lead in his home country's grand tour.

This week's matchup honors the brash style and panache' of riders willing to put it all on the line for a chance at victory.  Washington Sangiovese takis on a long range challenger from Chianti.

Mellisoni Vineyards 2013 Sangiovese v. Travignoli 2006 Chianti Rufina Riserva