Tuscany's standing as a fine-wine region has soared in recent years on the strength of its Chianti Classico and Super Tuscan wines, so it's easy to forget that the province still also is home to humbler and less pricey but nonetheless agreeable representatives of everyday Chianti.

We were reminded of this in pulling the cork from a bottle of the newly released Ecco Domani 2006 Chianti ($11), a blend of 92 percent sangiovese, 8 percent merlot. It's light and lean, but with sangiovese's typically floral scent, cherry fruit, teasing spice, refreshing tang and hint of walnuts. It isn't a blockbuster, not with just 12.5 percent alcohol, but it does have the spine to accommodate all sorts of pasta, poultry, seafood and red-meat dishes, especially if they are in a lighter vein, without a lot of creamy richness and hot seasonings.