The Best Chianti Substitutes
This list of Chianti substitutes is great news for those who want to enjoy a similar type of wine but can’t find the real deal.
Do you feel curious about some other wine similar to Chianti? If so, scroll on down to find out.
What is Chianti?
Chianti is a staple red wine manufactured in Chianti, Tuscany. It is usually made from a grape mixture, including Canaiolo, Sangiovese, Malvasia, and Trebbiano, and Malvasia.
This wine varíe greatly in price and quality. You will find the premium Chiantis labeled “Riserva”.
Besides as a drink, this wine is a key ingredient for some foods, such as ravioli with chianti sauce.
Or, you also can enhance the subtle taste of your steak by using some Chianti small splash in the meat marinade.
The List Of Chianti Substitutes
1. Shiraz
Shiraz (or they can be called Syrah) is a dark-red wine, which has its origin in Southeastern France.
The wine’s consistency resembles Chianti’s parallel taste palette, as well as reverberates with notes in virtually the same way.
The Syral wine tends to be a full-bodied, bold one, which is almost similar to Chianti. It has a fruity taste, delicate fragrance and is heavily aromatic.
Therefore, if you run across a Shiraz bottle in your kitchen, this will become a perfect chianti wine alternative for your search.
2. Domaine Privilege Fitou
Just have a taste of this excellent red wine that originated in France, and you will see it’s a definite magnet.
It’s the best note to encounter if you hope to relish a taste of Chianti wine. The grape varieties and the royal texture with specific recipes will lend a similar aroma to Chianti.
In addition, its tasting flavors include oak, licorice, plum, spices, blackberry, and vanilla. The scent is vibrant, and the tannin in its texture is supple.
Its grape diversities consist of Mourvedre, Carignan, Grenache, and Syral. This combination is an excellent match with poultry items, mushrooms, soft cheese, and ground turkey.
3. Merlot
The choice belongs to one of the great alternatives to the Chianti wine. In addition, it could not be much harder to get some in most liquor stores where they stock the wine every season.
Merlot is made from grapes having similar properties to Sangiovese grapes that are utilized to produce Chianti.
The Merlot could drive at a wide range of tastes and, thus, be a little inconsistent. Attempt to reach a Merlot liquid that is full-bodied, bold, and darker, if you may.
This would yield an outcome similar to Chianti wine, a more delicate and lighter Merlot.
4. Banfi Rosso Montalcino
This wine sets its roots in Toscana, Italy, which will remind you of the shadow of Chianti. The Banfi Rosso Montalcino owns close properties of red wine Chianti.
The Rosso Montalcino wine only comprises the Sangiovese grape variety, which is indeed a key ingredient of Chianti. Thus, you can satiate your craving to enjoy delicious Chianti.
The tasting flavors consist of cherry, violet, and plum. It has a rich and soft texture with gentle notes.
The best dish matching the wine is cheese sandwiches, vegetable salad, salmon, and truffles.
5. Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon option is regularly pondered as one of the best substitutes for Chianti.
It has become one of the most common red wines, which is the version found in most main wine-producing nations.
Also, the choice could be utilized in most foods that Chianti could be utilized in.
This wine is an excellent choice because it imitates the color and texture of Chianti. In addition, it has a close acidity floor, with the main grape variety of Sangiovese.
In particular, when we heat it up in food, it reaches an extremely similar taste. Hence, it isn’t strange when many cooks pick this red wine as a chianti alternative.
6. Finca Emperatriz Reserva
The flavorful wine is a mixture of Garnacha, Viura, Graciano, and Tempranillo. Moreover, it’s the best wine to perform on special occasions and dinner dates.
Your covetousness for Chianti could never be wrong when you own this red wine originated from Spain. It comes with all the wonderful properties of Chianti to satisfy your taste.
The tasting flavors range from cherry, red berries to spices, which are fine tannins with medium-bodied. You can pair it with chicken nuggets, seafood, pasta, roasted lamb, and old cheddar.
7. Red-Wine Vinegar
If you are seeking something easily available around your kitchen, red-wine vinegar is an excellent pick. The vinegar has a close taste, pretty akin to most red wine.
Also, the choice tends not to be over-pungent to bother the note palette of your food. In general, it could further boost the flavor profile and highlight some subtle notes within foods.
Red-wine vinegar could become the best choice to execute in food involving vegetables or beef to replace Chianti. In addition, it’s typically utilized in salad dressings and marinades.
8. Claus Preisinger Kalkstein
You want to enjoy Chianti red wines, yet do they run out of stock? Don’t worry! This subtle wine from Austria would lend you the taste of official Chianti wines.
The beautiful wine is flavorful, vibrant, as well as a great party companion.
This trait makes it become a great name whenever mentioned about the replacement of Chianti. The delicious flavor is derived from a Pais grape variety, enhancing the luscious taste of this wine.
Its tasting undernotes lead you from spicy, berry fruit to minerals. The balanced acidity and freshness make it become a wonderful drink for dinner and brunch.
Pairing the drink with Chinese cuisine, Thai dishes, spicy chicken, prawns, and tuna will bring you a prominent experience as if you’re enjoying Chianti.
That explains why Many experienced cooks shared that Chianti wine similar to Claus Preisinger Kalkstein.
9. Cranberry Juice
Cranberry Juice might be a good option if you seek a sub with no alcohol percentage or alcohol content isn’t a priority in your balanced diet.
The juice has a close acidity, richness, flavor, and color similar to Chianti.
Should you intend to make a dish that is much more savory, it’s suggested to utilize this juice without sugar so as not to disturb the undertone palette of your recipe.
If you’re making something sweet and having some (sweetened) cranberry juice, you should be careful of over-sweetening this food.
A solution to address this is to put a bit of some apple cider or malt vinegar into the juice before seasoning it to balance the sweetness.
Furthermore, the Cranberry juice brings you health benefits thanks to its rich antioxidants.
10. Grape Juice
The grape juice, especially the red variety, is a wonderful Chanti alternative that doesn’t contain alcohol. Perhaps this is not too astonishing since it’s also produced from red grape varieties.
Thus it isn’t a tricky issue to understand why its flavor and color resemble Chianti wine, in spite of the acidity. Also, with this choice, you will not worry about alcohol levels.
To imitate some acidity, don’t hesitate to mix red-wine vinegar with red grape juice or add a bit of vinegar. This step will deliver some bitterness that Chianti wine is supposed to have.
When using this grape juice as a replacement for Chianti, it would be best to mix it with lamb, pork, steak, or vegetables.
In addition, grape juice has multiple health perks thanks to its antioxidants. Using it regularly can enhance your immune health as well as work well to lower your blood pressure.
11. Beef Stock
There is one more non-alcoholic substitute for Chianti.
If you have beef stock in your kitchen, the ingredient will be an excellent one to utilize in place of the Chianti wine when making any prepared food. Yet, there are still several differences to pay attention to.
Beef stock is likely to be much less acidic and milder, yet its hearty and dark taste still leans closer to the note of an exceptional Chianti wine.
When you pick to utilize beef stock as an alternative, take the liquid at a ratio that is equivalent to a slot of Chianti.
In common with most substitutes, if you hope your recipe has a stronger aroma, feel free to add one or two teaspoons of vinegar when marinating your ingredient.
12. Avignonesi Occhio di Pernice
The last option for this list is Avignonesi Occhio di Pernice which comes from Italy. The wine includes the Sangiovese, which is the main ingredient of Chianti.
It is a fusion of plum, tobacco, hazelnut, and apricot tastes. Each sip of the wine will lend you its commendable flavor.
Grilled chicken, mushrooms, corn, tuna, and pork are great options for you to mate with the wine, which will replace the Chianti position.
