2004 Barone Ricasoli Casalferro
Barone Ricasoli is a large producer based in Gaiole in Chianti, Tuscany that releases approximately 2,000,000 bottles a year across their various labels. Some wine drinkers and collectors shirk wines from large producers, instead preferring labels from cult and/or small producers. This is unfortunate as large production and quality are not necessarily mutually exclusive.
Ricasoli makes two important wines, the quality of which are almost always quite high. The Chianti Classico Castello di Brolio is made from a selection of grapes from the top of the Brolio vineyard. The wine is made from mostly Sangiovese with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot as allowed by the Chianti Classico DOCG, then aged for 18 months in French oak (two-thirds of which are new). Casalferro on the other hand is an IGT made from Sangiovese and Merlot (70/30, if I recall) and aged for 18 months also in French oak.
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The wine worked nicely with a rack of grilled beef ribs prepared simply with salt and pepper. While I think the wine potentially worth it at $40, the current LCBO sale price of $34 is much more attractive.