Lively. I believe that’s what the professionals say about a wine of this sort (i.e., the ones they score in the mid-80s). All the component parts of a good Chianti delivered just slightly below the bar. Fruit? Check. Scads. Light tannins? Check. Smooth finish? Perfectly palatable if unremarkable. You can score this in the US for as low as $7 a bottle. It’s in the low-20s in BC. A tad too much acid we thought but a crowd pleaser.  By the case at $7USD. Have a browse in BC.

Price: $22 at BC Liquor

Market Liquidity: If the other option is a bottled swathed in wicker, choose the Gabbiano.