Politini Sangiovese 2008 + Smashed Potato & Chicken Bake

Politini is one of the new breeds of wineries that wants to promote the region as a wine and food mecca so they have workshops that people can attend. Ever wanted to make salami? Well Politini has many workshops that run you through what to do. I have done such a workshop and it it amazing how easy it is. My mate and I can't keep our hands off the things so we make more sausages than salami's but really it is the same process with some different ingredients and a bit extra time. Sausages you can eat straight away and you have to be patient with salami's.

With this wine I didn't know how big it was going to be so I decided to pair it with a medium bodied earthy style of dish.

Smashed Potato & Chicken Bake

1/2 kilo chicken thighs
400 grams kifler potatoes
1 punnet cherry tomatoes
olive oil
4 garlic cloves, whole
salt and pepper
garden herbs (I have rosemary and oregano in mine), chopped
4 stripes of bacon, sliced (optional extra) cook before adding to the large dish

Bring a pot of water to the boil and add in potatoes. Heat pan and cook chicken thighs until they have a blackened edge. Once done remove and allow to cool then pull apart. When potatoes are almost cooked remove from water and set aside. Once they start to cool push down in them until they start to split.

Heat oven to 180 degrees celcius. Place all ingredients in large dish and mix, making sure that all ingredients are covered with oil. Place in oven and cook for 20 - 30 minutes. Serve with a nice glass of Politini Sangiovese.

Politini Sangiovese 2008

Boy this is really light weight but the flavours of wild herbs and cherries keep my attention. This is the sort of wine that I would drink over lunch or during the week after a hard day at work, as it satisfies without challenging too much. The tannins and flavours are melded together which means that this is ready to go in a primary sort of way. This is the sort of wine that points towards Australia becoming a grown up wine society.

Alcohol: 14.4%
Price: $22
Rated: 86
Drink: Now to 2017