Over the past year or two I've had some mid-range Tuscan wines made from the Sangiovese grape that I've cellared for awhile, and it's mostly been an enjoyable experience to see how these wines have evolved.  They typically develop a very characteristic bouquet that I've seen described as "forest floor," reflecting scents that are a little bit mushroomy, a little leafy, a little earthy, but to some extent distinctive and found nowhere else.  I can imagine not everyone liking this bouquet, but I usually do.

A 2004 Fattoria di Lucignano Chianti from in the DOCG Colli Fiorentini tasted in Sept. 2006 was, according to my notes, excellent.  "Not very tannic but with some structure, but juicy, with a balance between flavors of red fruits and dark fruits, and minerally and leafy notes, a slight glyceriny smoothness and hints of caramel and chocolate cherries.   By April or May of 2009 it had a "nice bright crimson color, getting a brick-red edge," and was "Delicious, medium-bodied, perfumy, with a typical aged-Sangiovese "forest floor", "tuscan funk" aroma, "lifted" flavors of cherry, strawberry, and hints of leather.  Just what a Chianti that is evolving correctly ought to be. "

A 1999 Barco Reale di Carmignano was a bit more elegant wine, but evolved similarly.   Young, it was a little darker and more tannic, but still balanced and enjoyable;  tasted a few time during the last few years, it was gaining clarity, perfume, and a more balanced and integrated version of the funky aged-sangiovese bouquet.

Monte Antico, a Sangiovese-based Tuscan wine produced very near Montalcino (of Brunello fame), is a reasonably priced (now around $10) wine that often ages very well---one of the best deals in Tuscany in a good year.  Around Christmas a few years back, I had the 1985 and it was nicely aged, mellow and with some sweet, chestnutty aromas with only hints of leafiness and shroominess, and nice cherry fruit flavors---not a blockbuster but definitely showing some of the benefits of aging.  The 1998, unfortunately, was not such a good year--- in February 2009 it was "OK--sediment about to drop but still suspended---rather light-bodied and not complex--some typically Tuscan funky elements in the aroma".  In summer 2007, I wrote "aromas not so developed--red fruit flavors, fine tannins, not so concentrated but sappy and with some complexity.  Nona think it smells bad!" [that must've been the hint of aged-sangiovese funkiness] "Red cherry, black cherry, a bit of tea, a hint of licorice.  Tasty!! Evolving to smoky, slightly barnyardy aromas."  So maybe it was always slightly awkward and light, and is now going over the hill...or maybe it will open up again with more aging.  I have a few more bottles of various vintages back in the USA... and this is always one to pick up at the store and leave lying around in your basement to see what will happen.

I'll cover some Sangiovese-based wines tasted at a younger age in a future post.