JanKris Riatta.

Riatta is a blend of sangiovese (50%), zinfandel (25%), and cabernet sauvignon (25%). The first glass was way in your face with the fruit in the sangiovese and zinfandel blowing out everything else. The sangiovese was bit tart for my taste, small tannins. A little sucking aeration in the mouth really brings out the fruit which is apparently what this winery is going for (or were, since this was the last batch before switching management).

A day opened let it mellow and finally let the cab show through more prominently. Still soft tannins. The sangiovese takes a back seat to the zin, so still in your face but without all the yelling.

Il Poggio Sangiovese.

Lower end of characteristic and rather simple. Meh. I remember it being rather cheap.

Nistri Sangiovese Toscana.

I haven't been able to get a hold of any other sangioveses for a long time, so when I saw them at a liquor store's moving sales, I picked up a few different kinds. I remember liking the first one I ever had a lot.

This is one kind of fell flat. In the first sip, it was immediately berry blastin' like Kool-Aid or something. And then it just sort of disappeared. I had to check whether or not I had actually swallowed it. I just found it very thin. Or light, if I wanted to be optimistic.

It's had a little bit of time to open up, and it's doing better. It's starting to have a little backbone but probably wouldn't stand up to anything heavily spiced.

Pedroncelli Sangiovese 2005 - Alto Vineyards.

This is the first I've had of this variety. Wiki says a young sangiovese will have "fresh fruity flavours of strawberry and a little spiciness". I can taste the fruit and it's quite mild and refreshing. I will definitely have to try other vineyards in the future.