87 2003 Banfi Centine 6/17/05 ($9)
Deep purple-black cherry color, impressive for the price. Ripe Sangiovese (cherry) nose with a healthy dose of oak complementing. Flavors of black licorice and cherry with good acidity, but oak adds some bitterness. Also tannin and a dusty, Tuscan earth component make it rustic. A blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet and Merlot, this is a solid middleweight of high quality. The structure and fruit make this a great value, just don’t expect elegance, as it’s definitely on the rustic side. Excellent pasta or grill wine. Drink now and in the next year or so. A definite improvement over the 2002, this drinks more like the tasty 2001.
Note: Had the 2004 in April 06 and it was the worst Centine I've ever had (a combination of grapy and weedy). Probably deserved a score in the very low 80's if I had bothered to rate it. Hope this doesn't become the consistent product. This wine certainly has its ups and downs.