DaVinci Wines

The Cantine Leonardo da Vinci cooperative was formed in Tuscany in 1965 and continues making wine today in the spirit of the legendary Renaissance artist and inventor. Leonardo was a legendary doodler, and his sketches of helicopters and war machines and parachutes were strangely prophetic... Or perhaps less surprising if you've seen the school notebooks of bored young boys. Yes, I got to see my design of yard lights that would charge up via solar energy during the day and glow at night featured in the SkyMall catalog on a flight to Cincinnati.

I could stew over that missed opportunity, or I could fix some tasty food and enjoy a pair of delicious Italian wine samples. Let's take the latter path.

2012 DaVinci Pinot Grigio
Alto Adige/Trento
90% Pinot Grigio, 10% Chardonnay
$12, 12.5% abv.

Peach and apricot with a touch of buttery popcorn underneath, making me think that the Chardonnay saw a little oak and gives the wine a little deeper structure. Bright fruit, tart acidity, and a medium finish. Great with a grilled chicken salad, chilled on a hot summer day.

2011 DaVinci Chianti
Chianti
90% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot
$9, 13.5% abv.

Plum and spice dominate the nose, while there is a mild body with low tannins and a red cherry finish. This is a perfect middle-of-the-week pizza wine, tasty after a half hour in the refrigerator. Delicious with a nice NYC-style pepperoni floppy slice.


Note: These wines were provided as samples.