March 01, 2005
Italian Cuisine Blog Archives
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The Wine of the Week: Le Chiantigiane Galestro Rosso IGT Toscana 2003
Galestro started out as a white wine with a mission: to provide an outlet for all the white grapes in Tuscan vineyards that winemakers stopped putting into their Chianti in the early 80s (see Croce e Deliza for background on why this situation developed). As such it was never meant to be an important wine, and indeed had a maximum allowable alcohol level of 11.5% to keep it light and simple. Now the people who oversee its production have added Red and Rosé Gaelstro too, and some wineries, especially the larger cooperatives, have begun to make them too.
They're quaffing wines; Le Chiantigiane's Galestro Rosso is ruby with dusky overtones, and has a vinous bouquet with red berry fruit and a fair amount of brambly lemony acidity. Lively. On the palate it's light to medium bodied, with brith sour cherry fruit supported by moderately intense smooth tannins that flow into a long brambly sour finish. It's quite direct, and will be perfect at a cookout (the menu is a suggestion for the 4th of July, but will work nicely now too), or with meat-based pasta dishes, for example spaghetti with meatballs. Expect the bottle to go quickly.
How to organize a wine tasting.
04:37 AM #
Galestro started out as a white wine with a mission: to provide an outlet for all the white grapes in Tuscan vineyards that winemakers stopped putting into their Chianti in the early 80s (see Croce e Deliza for background on why this situation developed). As such it was never meant to be an important wine, and indeed had a maximum allowable alcohol level of 11.5% to keep it light and simple. Now the people who oversee its production have added Red and Rosé Gaelstro too, and some wineries, especially the larger cooperatives, have begun to make them too.
They're quaffing wines; Le Chiantigiane's Galestro Rosso is ruby with dusky overtones, and has a vinous bouquet with red berry fruit and a fair amount of brambly lemony acidity. Lively. On the palate it's light to medium bodied, with brith sour cherry fruit supported by moderately intense smooth tannins that flow into a long brambly sour finish. It's quite direct, and will be perfect at a cookout (the menu is a suggestion for the 4th of July, but will work nicely now too), or with meat-based pasta dishes, for example spaghetti with meatballs. Expect the bottle to go quickly.
How to organize a wine tasting.
04:37 AM #
Feeding Guests...
You're getting ready to cook dinner when the phone rings or (worse yet) the doorbell rings: Unexpected guests. If you've just gone shopping, fine, but if you haven't? One of the standard Italian solutions to this crisis is to set a pot of water to boil and whip together an aio oio -- Spaghetti seasoned with garlic and olive oil, all of which are certain to be kicking around in the pantry. Add a tossed green salad, seasoned with olive oil, vinegar, and salt, and a white wine from the Colli Albani and everyone will be happy. An aio oio (without the salad) is also a wonderful late night snack, say when you come home from the movies or a concert.
Brad's tasty variation on aio oio
04:39 PM #
You're getting ready to cook dinner when the phone rings or (worse yet) the doorbell rings: Unexpected guests. If you've just gone shopping, fine, but if you haven't? One of the standard Italian solutions to this crisis is to set a pot of water to boil and whip together an aio oio -- Spaghetti seasoned with garlic and olive oil, all of which are certain to be kicking around in the pantry. Add a tossed green salad, seasoned with olive oil, vinegar, and salt, and a white wine from the Colli Albani and everyone will be happy. An aio oio (without the salad) is also a wonderful late night snack, say when you come home from the movies or a concert.
Brad's tasty variation on aio oio
04:39 PM #
Cooking? Read the Labels First
We usually keep a package of puff pastry dough in the freezer, because it's much quicker to buy than to make, and is quite versatile too. The other day Elisabetta decided to make a quiche, and while the roll of dough was thawing chopped and sautéed the vegetables. The sheets of the brand we usually use are rolled up around a sheet of oven parchment, so she unrolled this one and put it in the pan, parchment side down, filled it and put it in the oven before reading the back of the box: It was a different brand, and what we thought was parchment was plastic NOT suitable for baking.
Moment of panic.
Then, we got the quiche out, put a second pan over the first, and gingerly flipped them the way one might flip a frittata -- the filling settled nicely, with the puff pastry shell becoming a top, and (fortunately) the plastic wrapper came free. Back into the oven, and our quiche became a very tasty savory pie. So what to do? Start with:
Heat the oil and sauté the artichokes and shallots until the artichokes are soft and the onions are translucent. Remove the mixture to a bowl and stir in the cream, followed by the beaten eggs, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and pour the mixture into the pan. Cover the mixture with the puff pastry, make a cut or two in the top of the pie to allow steam to escape, and bake it for 20-25 minutes, by which time the top will be nicely browned and the filling will have set. Serve it with a tossed green salad, and a crisp white wine, for example a Vernaccia di San Gimignano (Montenidoli's will be quite nice).
The next time we used 1/3 pound ricotta, 1/4 pound chopped pancetta (sautéed separately to remove some of the grease), and 1/2 pound thawed spinach, chopped. Very Good!
A cheese and scallion quiche | A tasty Asparagus flan
05:54 PM #
We usually keep a package of puff pastry dough in the freezer, because it's much quicker to buy than to make, and is quite versatile too. The other day Elisabetta decided to make a quiche, and while the roll of dough was thawing chopped and sautéed the vegetables. The sheets of the brand we usually use are rolled up around a sheet of oven parchment, so she unrolled this one and put it in the pan, parchment side down, filled it and put it in the oven before reading the back of the box: It was a different brand, and what we thought was parchment was plastic NOT suitable for baking.
Moment of panic.
Then, we got the quiche out, put a second pan over the first, and gingerly flipped them the way one might flip a frittata -- the filling settled nicely, with the puff pastry shell becoming a top, and (fortunately) the plastic wrapper came free. Back into the oven, and our quiche became a very tasty savory pie. So what to do? Start with:
- A roll of puff pastry sufficient to cover a 9-inch (23 cm) round pan, thawed
- V4 artichokes, outer leaves stripped and hearts cut into eighths (see instructions if need be)
- 3 spring onions, chopped including some of the green part (shallots or a leek will also be nice)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2-3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
- A 9-inch (23 cm) round pie pan, buttered
Heat the oil and sauté the artichokes and shallots until the artichokes are soft and the onions are translucent. Remove the mixture to a bowl and stir in the cream, followed by the beaten eggs, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and pour the mixture into the pan. Cover the mixture with the puff pastry, make a cut or two in the top of the pie to allow steam to escape, and bake it for 20-25 minutes, by which time the top will be nicely browned and the filling will have set. Serve it with a tossed green salad, and a crisp white wine, for example a Vernaccia di San Gimignano (Montenidoli's will be quite nice).
The next time we used 1/3 pound ricotta, 1/4 pound chopped pancetta (sautéed separately to remove some of the grease), and 1/2 pound thawed spinach, chopped. Very Good!
A cheese and scallion quiche | A tasty Asparagus flan
05:54 PM #
A Happy Pasquetta!
Tradition dictates that those living in cities or towns go out into the country on Pasquetta, Easter Monday, to enjoy the first warmth of spring and have a picnic. Some bring charcoal and a portable grill in addition to a basket full of food. What's in the basket? Depends upon the tastes of the packer. Some ideas:
04:51 PM #
Tradition dictates that those living in cities or towns go out into the country on Pasquetta, Easter Monday, to enjoy the first warmth of spring and have a picnic. Some bring charcoal and a portable grill in addition to a basket full of food. What's in the basket? Depends upon the tastes of the packer. Some ideas:
- Matzà Frittata, or Matzà Coperta:
This is an Italian Jewish answer to the frittatas that Italian Catholics customarily packed for their Pasquetta. - A Delicate Onion Frittata:
If you gently cook sweet onions, you'll have a frittata you'll be making all summer long. - A Lemony Pasta Salad:
Refreshing, and if you add crumbled grilled tuna (or swordfish) it becomes a tasty entree. - Bowties With Chicken and Beans in a Spicy Sauce:
A modern Italian recipe that's perfect for a picnic hamper.
04:51 PM #
Got fish? Roast it in salt.
To begin with, Buona Pasqua!
Easter in Italy means lamb -- roasted, stewed, or as you please. However, Good Friday is a Vigilia Nera, a vigil during which the faithful are called upon to avoid meat, and that means fish.
If it's very fresh one of the finest ways to enjoy fish is to roast it in a pan of salt. Add to it a rich white wine, for example a dry Riesling, and a tossed salad made with wild greens, and this will become one of your favorite recipes, perfect for company or when the fishmonger (or your luck, if you fish) have been perfect.
08:00 PM #
To begin with, Buona Pasqua!
Easter in Italy means lamb -- roasted, stewed, or as you please. However, Good Friday is a Vigilia Nera, a vigil during which the faithful are called upon to avoid meat, and that means fish.
If it's very fresh one of the finest ways to enjoy fish is to roast it in a pan of salt. Add to it a rich white wine, for example a dry Riesling, and a tossed salad made with wild greens, and this will become one of your favorite recipes, perfect for company or when the fishmonger (or your luck, if you fish) have been perfect.
08:00 PM #
The Wine of the Week: Vignamaggio IGT Toscana 2001
Easter, at least in Italy, is an occasion for lamb or kid, and though there are people who buy chops and fry them, it's much more likely to be a leg, roasted, or a stew of some kind. In other words, rich, flavorful dishes that beg a big red wine with rich fruit that will stand up to the meat's flavors, and tannins and acidity to balance its succulence. Vignamaggio, a winery near Greve in Chianti where Monna Lisa (the Monna Lisa) is said to have lived, makes a Cabernet Sauvignon that will work very well in this sort of situation.
It's called Vignamaggio, and the 2001 vintage is deep pigeon blood ruby with ruby reflections and rim. The bouquet is powerful and quite young, with forest berry fruit and some stewed pepper overtones supported by clean spice; there's a lot going on and it is quite promising, though very obviously young. On the palate it's full and rich, with powerful forest berry fruit that gains direction from deft acidity and graphite minerality, and is supported by clean bitter tannins with clean pepper notes. Quite elegant, though one feels almost like a peeping tom to be drinking it now; it will do very interesting things over the next 5-8 years, and will richly reward those with the patience to give it time. Drink it with succulent grilled meats or stews now, or with slightly leaner meats with time.
Castello di Monna Lisa, Vignamaggio's Chianti Classico Riserva, will also be quite nice with lamb.
Organizing a wine tasting | More lamb recipes
12:09 PM #
Easter, at least in Italy, is an occasion for lamb or kid, and though there are people who buy chops and fry them, it's much more likely to be a leg, roasted, or a stew of some kind. In other words, rich, flavorful dishes that beg a big red wine with rich fruit that will stand up to the meat's flavors, and tannins and acidity to balance its succulence. Vignamaggio, a winery near Greve in Chianti where Monna Lisa (the Monna Lisa) is said to have lived, makes a Cabernet Sauvignon that will work very well in this sort of situation.
It's called Vignamaggio, and the 2001 vintage is deep pigeon blood ruby with ruby reflections and rim. The bouquet is powerful and quite young, with forest berry fruit and some stewed pepper overtones supported by clean spice; there's a lot going on and it is quite promising, though very obviously young. On the palate it's full and rich, with powerful forest berry fruit that gains direction from deft acidity and graphite minerality, and is supported by clean bitter tannins with clean pepper notes. Quite elegant, though one feels almost like a peeping tom to be drinking it now; it will do very interesting things over the next 5-8 years, and will richly reward those with the patience to give it time. Drink it with succulent grilled meats or stews now, or with slightly leaner meats with time.
Castello di Monna Lisa, Vignamaggio's Chianti Classico Riserva, will also be quite nice with lamb.
Organizing a wine tasting | More lamb recipes
12:09 PM #
Something quick in the meantime
Preparing for Easter can be an extremely time consuming task. However, one still has to eat. How about a veal piccata, a simple Milanese dish that is in some ways a lemony take on Rome's Saltimbocca. Serve it with some zesty sauteed spinach (even quicker if you start with frozen spinach), or a tossed salad, and a white wine, for example Franciacorta Bianco.
06:11 PM #
Preparing for Easter can be an extremely time consuming task. However, one still has to eat. How about a veal piccata, a simple Milanese dish that is in some ways a lemony take on Rome's Saltimbocca. Serve it with some zesty sauteed spinach (even quicker if you start with frozen spinach), or a tossed salad, and a white wine, for example Franciacorta Bianco.
06:11 PM #
An Easter Idea: Lamb in Cream of Asparagus
In Italy, lamb and kid are the meats of choice for Easter, to the point that animal rights advocates hold protests every year, and suggest that people try something else, preferably vegetarian. They would therefore be happy with Sicilian marzipan lambs like the one pictured here. They might be a little less happy with this recipe for lamb in cream of asparagus, from the Veneto. To serve 6:
Heat the oil and butter in a pot and sauté the garlic and leek until the leek has wilted and begun to color; add the lamb, turning the pieces about, and as soon as they have browned add a cup of the marinade, and simmer over a low flame, covered, adding liquid should the meat look to be drying out.
In the meantime, heat the remaining marinade in a pot with a little water and the bones from the lamb. Let cook for 45 minutes to an hour. Skim and strain the broth, mix the carrot into it, add, the asparagus, and boil them for 5 minutes from the time the broth comes back to a boil. Blend the mixture, whisk the yolks and the cream into it, mix well, and pour the resulting souce over the meat. Serve at once.
Other lamb recipes
05:49 PM #
In Italy, lamb and kid are the meats of choice for Easter, to the point that animal rights advocates hold protests every year, and suggest that people try something else, preferably vegetarian. They would therefore be happy with Sicilian marzipan lambs like the one pictured here. They might be a little less happy with this recipe for lamb in cream of asparagus, from the Veneto. To serve 6:
- A spring lamb, boned and chopped (keep the bones)
- A bottle of dry white wine, ideally Prosecco
- A glass of Marsala (A fortified Sicilian wine, use Sherry if need be)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- The white part of a leek, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds asparagus, cleaned, and white ends of the stems removed
- A carrot, minced
- 2 egg yolks, beaten
- 1 cup cream
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Heat the oil and butter in a pot and sauté the garlic and leek until the leek has wilted and begun to color; add the lamb, turning the pieces about, and as soon as they have browned add a cup of the marinade, and simmer over a low flame, covered, adding liquid should the meat look to be drying out.
In the meantime, heat the remaining marinade in a pot with a little water and the bones from the lamb. Let cook for 45 minutes to an hour. Skim and strain the broth, mix the carrot into it, add, the asparagus, and boil them for 5 minutes from the time the broth comes back to a boil. Blend the mixture, whisk the yolks and the cream into it, mix well, and pour the resulting souce over the meat. Serve at once.
Other lamb recipes
05:49 PM #
Felice San Giuseppe!
Or, Happy Father's Day: Joseph is the patron saint of Fathers (for obvious reasons) and as a result Italians celebrate fathers on March 19 -- his day, and today daughter Clelia came home from nursery school reciting a poem for the occasion. Parenthood can be very nice.
And how to celebrate? In Florence there are frittelle di riso, sweet rice fritters that can be extraordinarily voluptuous. However, the real celebrations take place further south, where Joseph, who was an extremely resourceful guy, is venerated in a great many towns. Some ideas:
04:36 PM #
Or, Happy Father's Day: Joseph is the patron saint of Fathers (for obvious reasons) and as a result Italians celebrate fathers on March 19 -- his day, and today daughter Clelia came home from nursery school reciting a poem for the occasion. Parenthood can be very nice.
And how to celebrate? In Florence there are frittelle di riso, sweet rice fritters that can be extraordinarily voluptuous. However, the real celebrations take place further south, where Joseph, who was an extremely resourceful guy, is venerated in a great many towns. Some ideas:
- Zeppole di San Giuseppe -- San Giuseppe tends to be more venerated in the South than in the North, and is especially important in Sicily, where people frequently turn to him for assistance when things become grim. Here are a couple of Sicilian treats with which to celebrate.
- Sfingi di San Giuseppe -- A simple recipe for Sfingi, tasty ricotta-laced Sicilian fritters.
- Ciciri Ca Pasta -- This is a Sicilian variation on chickpea soup; Pino Correnti notes that it's from the eastern side of the island, and is one of the three classic dishes prepared on March 19 to honor San Giuseppe, who gained the island's lasting devotion by bringing the rains that ended a punishing drought.
04:36 PM #
A Quick Recipe
There are times when you can cook for hours, but there are also times when that's not possible, Italian cooking offers many options for both occasions. If you're in a rush, try Pasta ai 4 Formaggi, pasta with a four cheese sauce. Make the sauce while the pasta water comes to a boil, and serve the pasta with a crisp green salad and a crisp white wine. Who could ask for more?
10:32 AM #
There are times when you can cook for hours, but there are also times when that's not possible, Italian cooking offers many options for both occasions. If you're in a rush, try Pasta ai 4 Formaggi, pasta with a four cheese sauce. Make the sauce while the pasta water comes to a boil, and serve the pasta with a crisp green salad and a crisp white wine. Who could ask for more?
10:32 AM #
Addio Bartolo
Bartolo Mascarello, the Grand Old Man of Barolo, died this weekend. He was fiercely independent and everyone acknowledged him, whether they agreed with him or not -- in the course of the great wave of innovation that swept Piemontese winemaking during the 80s and 90s he stood fast, refusing to adopt either innovative winemaking techniques that soften the wines, or small wood that adds vanilla and spice. "Wine sinks its roots in the hills, and not in Franco-Californian techniques that may be valid, but that I won't use. Just Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto. Now there are other vines as well, but they have no history here. One mustn't confuse the introduction of new vines and the construction of enormous sheds with progress and development," he said when I met him, and his wines certainly reflected his philosophy, flying in the face of modern demands for wines that are soft and ready to drink.
His current vintage (2000) was hard as nails, but the 1990 Barolo he poured for us, though still very young, was developing along paths the new-style softer wines simply cannot follow. It's elegant almandine, with an elegant, deft bouquet that mingles tobacco and dried roses with delightful fairly tart berry fruit. On the palate it's rich, full, and very much alive, with extremely bright citric-laced cherry fruit supported by deft velvety tannins that flow into a long clean cherry finish with lasting acidity. Great elegance, depth, and life, combined with extraordinary freshness; it's an eye-opening wine that shows what the traditional techniques can lead to. And also a food wine; though I very much enjoyed the way it evolved and opened in the glass as we talked, its brightness is such that it will truly shine with a rich Piemontese roast or stew. Should you happen upon a bottle, buy it, though you shouldn't feel any need to open it soon. Wait for the proper occasion.
Again, Farewell, Bartolo! You'll be sorely missed.
10:26 AM #
Bartolo Mascarello, the Grand Old Man of Barolo, died this weekend. He was fiercely independent and everyone acknowledged him, whether they agreed with him or not -- in the course of the great wave of innovation that swept Piemontese winemaking during the 80s and 90s he stood fast, refusing to adopt either innovative winemaking techniques that soften the wines, or small wood that adds vanilla and spice. "Wine sinks its roots in the hills, and not in Franco-Californian techniques that may be valid, but that I won't use. Just Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto. Now there are other vines as well, but they have no history here. One mustn't confuse the introduction of new vines and the construction of enormous sheds with progress and development," he said when I met him, and his wines certainly reflected his philosophy, flying in the face of modern demands for wines that are soft and ready to drink. His current vintage (2000) was hard as nails, but the 1990 Barolo he poured for us, though still very young, was developing along paths the new-style softer wines simply cannot follow. It's elegant almandine, with an elegant, deft bouquet that mingles tobacco and dried roses with delightful fairly tart berry fruit. On the palate it's rich, full, and very much alive, with extremely bright citric-laced cherry fruit supported by deft velvety tannins that flow into a long clean cherry finish with lasting acidity. Great elegance, depth, and life, combined with extraordinary freshness; it's an eye-opening wine that shows what the traditional techniques can lead to. And also a food wine; though I very much enjoyed the way it evolved and opened in the glass as we talked, its brightness is such that it will truly shine with a rich Piemontese roast or stew. Should you happen upon a bottle, buy it, though you shouldn't feel any need to open it soon. Wait for the proper occasion.
Again, Farewell, Bartolo! You'll be sorely missed.
10:26 AM #
The Wine of the Week: Rodano Chianti Classico 2001
As a general rule, this estate cellars its wines for a year longer than most, and the extra time contributes considerably to the wine's poise and elegance. The 2001 is almandine ruby with black almandine reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is pleasing, and fairly deft, though obviously entering maturity, with cherry fruit laced with some balsamic overtones and sea salt, and as one swishes more, delicate cedar. Nicely balanced. On the palate it's medium bodied and deft, with bright cherry fruit supported by clean citric acidity, and by ample smooth sweet tannins that lead into a fairly long cherry laced finish with sufficient sour cherry acidity to keep it from flagging. Pleasant, in a distinctly traditional key, and if you like this style it will add considerable grace to a meal featuring grilled meats -- a porterhouse would be nice -- or succulent roasts. (Drawn from the Italian Wine Review, and tasted at the 2005 Chianti Classico Anteprima).
03:40 AM #
As a general rule, this estate cellars its wines for a year longer than most, and the extra time contributes considerably to the wine's poise and elegance. The 2001 is almandine ruby with black almandine reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is pleasing, and fairly deft, though obviously entering maturity, with cherry fruit laced with some balsamic overtones and sea salt, and as one swishes more, delicate cedar. Nicely balanced. On the palate it's medium bodied and deft, with bright cherry fruit supported by clean citric acidity, and by ample smooth sweet tannins that lead into a fairly long cherry laced finish with sufficient sour cherry acidity to keep it from flagging. Pleasant, in a distinctly traditional key, and if you like this style it will add considerable grace to a meal featuring grilled meats -- a porterhouse would be nice -- or succulent roasts. (Drawn from the Italian Wine Review, and tasted at the 2005 Chianti Classico Anteprima).
03:40 AM #
Broccoli Raab: Holding up Very Well This Year
Broccoli Raab, also known as cime di rapa in Italy, are one of the most popular south Italian winter vegetables, blessed with a sharpness that is quite nice with garlic in a pasta dish, and also with the body necessary to balance a rich roast or stew. They're usually beginning to tire and become very bitter by this time of year, but it has been so cold that they're holding up very well. Thoughts about Broccoli Raab and the Italian language, and about food too.
07:33 PM #
Broccoli Raab, also known as cime di rapa in Italy, are one of the most popular south Italian winter vegetables, blessed with a sharpness that is quite nice with garlic in a pasta dish, and also with the body necessary to balance a rich roast or stew. They're usually beginning to tire and become very bitter by this time of year, but it has been so cold that they're holding up very well. Thoughts about Broccoli Raab and the Italian language, and about food too.
07:33 PM #
The cold just won't leave us be...
Folks, we're still shivering and people in Northern Italy are being told to stay off the roads (many of those who failed to heed this advice on Thursday spent the night in their cars, watching the snow come down), while in the south they're getting flooding on top of the snow. In short, Winter still has us in her icy clasp.
Since I don't have a fireplace (yet), yesterday I said, "The Hell With It," and made a huge pot of chili, using Wick Fowler's 2-Alarm recipe, which I heartily recommend -- it simmered for hours, warming the house, Betty's parents came over, and now it's gone. Chili is of course not Italian, but Peposo is, and so are beef and venison Goulash. Or, you could make Ghisau, a satisfying Sardinian beef stew that you can add hot pepper to. What to serve with these? At this time of year Polenta is perfect.
07:45 PM #
Folks, we're still shivering and people in Northern Italy are being told to stay off the roads (many of those who failed to heed this advice on Thursday spent the night in their cars, watching the snow come down), while in the south they're getting flooding on top of the snow. In short, Winter still has us in her icy clasp.
Since I don't have a fireplace (yet), yesterday I said, "The Hell With It," and made a huge pot of chili, using Wick Fowler's 2-Alarm recipe, which I heartily recommend -- it simmered for hours, warming the house, Betty's parents came over, and now it's gone. Chili is of course not Italian, but Peposo is, and so are beef and venison Goulash. Or, you could make Ghisau, a satisfying Sardinian beef stew that you can add hot pepper to. What to serve with these? At this time of year Polenta is perfect.
07:45 PM #
The Wine of the Week: Fattoria di Artimino Rosato di Carmignano Vin Ruspo DOC 2003
Vin Ruspo means "stolen wine," and was made by the sharecroppers of Carmignano, not far from Florence, who would take the day's last load of grapes home, stand the hopper in a tub, and keep the must that trickled out during the night (the grapes went to the landlord in the morning). Since Sangiovese grapes are red, the wine the farmers "stole" is a rosé. Of course that was a while ago; now the farmers own the land, and continue to make Vin Ruspo both for tradition's sake and because it can be quite refreshing.
Artimino's Vin Ruspo is pale salmon with rose reflections and white rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with raspberries and some bramble mingled with underbrush. On the palate it's full, and lively, with bright raspberry fruit supported by a slight peppery burr and by deft acidity that gains fullness from some sweetness as well; and flows into a clean bright raspberry finish. Graceful, and will work quite nicely with cold cuts, lesser grilled meats, and fried foods; it will also work with pizza, but only one that's well made and worth taking note of. Expect the bottle to go quickly.
(Drawn from the Italian Wine Review) On tasting wines, and how to organize a tasting.
04:39 PM #
Vin Ruspo means "stolen wine," and was made by the sharecroppers of Carmignano, not far from Florence, who would take the day's last load of grapes home, stand the hopper in a tub, and keep the must that trickled out during the night (the grapes went to the landlord in the morning). Since Sangiovese grapes are red, the wine the farmers "stole" is a rosé. Of course that was a while ago; now the farmers own the land, and continue to make Vin Ruspo both for tradition's sake and because it can be quite refreshing.
Artimino's Vin Ruspo is pale salmon with rose reflections and white rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, with raspberries and some bramble mingled with underbrush. On the palate it's full, and lively, with bright raspberry fruit supported by a slight peppery burr and by deft acidity that gains fullness from some sweetness as well; and flows into a clean bright raspberry finish. Graceful, and will work quite nicely with cold cuts, lesser grilled meats, and fried foods; it will also work with pizza, but only one that's well made and worth taking note of. Expect the bottle to go quickly.
(Drawn from the Italian Wine Review) On tasting wines, and how to organize a tasting.
04:39 PM #
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