Come February the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino, the organization that oversees the production of Brunello di Montalcino, one of Italy's most famed and sought after wines, organizes a presentation of the current vintages the producers are releasing: The 2007 Brunello di Montalcino -- from a skittish vintage I am curious about -- the 2010 Rosso di Montalcino -- Brunello's younger sibling, from a richer vintage, -- Moscadello, a sweet white wine made from the Moscato grape that was famed long before anyone in Montalcino took an interest in reds, and Sant'Antimo, a catch-all denomination that includes both red and white wines, some of which are quite good.
I won't be commenting on the tasting until next week, but in the meantime here's a menu one could build around the wines.
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I won't be commenting on the tasting until next week, but in the meantime here's a menu one could build around the wines.
- With a White Sant'Antimo:
Mixed cold cuts and cheeses, or perhaps pici all'aglione, thick stranded extraordinarily garlicky pasta. - With a Red Sant'Antimo, or a Rosso di Montalcino:
Pappardelle sul Cinghiale, broad strips of pasta with a wild boar sauce (other furred game will be fine if need be). - With a Brunello di Montalcino:
The obvious answer is a roast, but I might opt for a scottiglia, a rich stew made by the charcoal makers of the area from whatever animals they could catch. As side dishes, boiled white (cannellini) beans and spinach. - To finish up with the Moscadello,
A simple Sienese Torta di Ricotta.
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Comments
Thank you for posting this. My husband and are I are working our way through the “Red Tuscan” wine section of our wine store currently and just dreaming of the life you live, you are very blessed indeed!
You’re quite welcome, and you’re also right — I am lucky to be doing what I am doing.
You commented about the Chianti Classico Reserva and “Vintage”….what do you mean by Vintage wine ?? are you refering to this as Old Vine(s) wine ??
The vintage wine is the winery’s youngest wine, from the vintage being currently released — Since the Chianti Classico regulations give a minimum aging time, which is until October of the year following the harvest, the current vintage wine is 2010 (2011 cannot be released until October of this year). Wineries are free to keep their wines longer before they release them, and many choose to age their vintage wines an additional year or more prior to release, meaning that their vintage wines would in this case be 2009 or even 2008. Riserve must instead be aged for at least 24 months prior to release, of which at least 3 in bottle.