Crittenden Estate Pinocchio Sangiovese 2017

The Crittenden Estate Pinocchio Sangiovese 2017 is simply easy-drinking Italian goodness. It’s everything you’d want from a Sangiovese without a huge punch of flavour. It is balanced and has a beautiful and lingering taste. Perfect with an Italian feast, you’ll find it all too easy to polish off a bottle of this one! 

Over the weekend we had a whirlwind trip to the Yarra Valley. As expected we had some incredible wine, and I was glad we managed to sneak it in to our tight schedule! However, when we finally got home after a delayed flight, I really needed to wind down before work on Monday. And what better way to wind down than with some more wine? I was a little Pinot-ed out (is there such a thing), after our weekend in the Yarra Valley. So I was excited to crack open the Crittenden Estate Pinocchio Sangiovese 2017 for something different!

It’s been a bit cooler in Brisbane this week with a whole heap of rain, so I’ve been quite excited to be back on the red wine. And I’m a sucker for a good Italian red, so this one was right up my alley! Could I have cellared it for longer? Yes. But when a lady needs a drink, sometimes an Italian red is a necessity, regardless of when it should have been drunk! Lucky for me this lively red is good for drinking now too!

The Crittenden Estate Pinocchio Sangiovese 2017 is a beautiful Sangiovese

The Crittenden Estate Pinocchio Sangiovese 2017 was a wine I picked up last year when we visited the Mornington Peninsula. Crittenden Estate was definitely a highlight of the trip, and I ended up grabbing a few bottles to bring home with me. If you are in the area, definitely check them out! Their cellar door experience is really special, and they have an extensive list of great wines to choose from. If you love Italian wines like me, this cellar door will be one for you! Their grounds are also absolutely stunning, and they make a mean meal too!

The Crittenden Estate Pinocchio Sangiovese 2017 is a beautiful example of a Sangiovese. The grapes are from the King Valley, which has far better-growing conditions for Italian grapes than the cool climate of Mornington. Crittenden Estate uses a mixture of three to four-year-old barrels to ensure that the new oak flavour doesn’t detract from the natural structure of the wine. It spent 10 months in oak before being bottled and is good for cellaring for up to six years.

Why I loved it

I absolutely love Sangiovese, and this wine was everything I dreamed it would be and more. Sangiovese is known for its savoury characteristics and this is what makes it an excellent food wine. The Crittenden Estate Pinocchio Sangiovese 2017 had this in spades. It has a great nose of cherry, raspberry and dark red fruits. Its bright red ruby colour made me think it would be a lot sweeter than it was, but it was far from it.

The great thing about this wine was the long finish. It had a great hit of acidity and firm tannins that really elongated the taste of the wine. The tannins were balanced, giving just enough structure to the wine but also ensuring the wine was really drinkable. This wine was a great mix between sweet and savoury, making for a perfect wine that was all too easy to drink. I found it to be quite light for a Sangiovese, making polishing off the bottle something that didn’t take much time at all.

So who will love this wine? Well, if you are an Italian wine lover like me, this will be right down your alley. But if you’re a lover of lighter style reds that also pair well with food, the Crittenden Estate Pinocchio Sangiovese 2017 is for you. It was complex without being overpowering and lingered in the mouth with tannins that place it well with food.

What to enjoy it with

The Crittenden Estate Pinocchio Sangiovese 2017 is a great food wine. What better to pair it with than some Italian classics? Think spaghetti bolognese, pizza or cannelloni. This wine would be at home with an Italian feast, and it doesn’t get much better than a delicious Sangiovese and some tasty Italian carbs.

Not in the market for pizza and pasta? Well, you’re in luck because this wine will also go beautifully with meats like beef or pork. It is light enough to go well with grilled meats and a simple serving of veggies. You could also easily pair this wine with hard cheese.

The final word on the Crittenden Estate Pinocchio Sangiovese 2017

The Crittenden Estate Pinocchio Sangiovese 2017 is a perfect Sangiovese as the weather starts to cool down. It’s light enough to be enjoyed in Summer but heavy enough to go oh so well with Italian food. If you’re in the mood for pizza and pasta, this wine is for you!