2006 Bivio chianti

How can you tell what vineyard a wine came from, if the small print on the label says "Vinted and bottled by G.I.V. S.c.a.r.l. Gaggiano Poggibonsi -- Italia"? They sound as if they are a wholly owned subsidiary of James Bond's evil nemesis, SPECTRE.

I suspect the more important information on the label may be "Imported by Bivio wines, Sonoma, CA." This was a very pleasant little wine, albeit crafted I think with the American market in mind, from the bright orange label with the drawing of the Vespa scooter on it, to the jazzy fruit flavors masking what a stronger Chianti can be. If you like the gamy, horsy personality of Chianti, and the tartness, you may find that after a first promising whiff of the stables, Bivio has wandered off to the raspberry bushes and stayed there. But that's all right. It's even cute, because according to the label, Bivio means "fork in the road."

Retail: about $13.