The Heritage Club - January 2020
When the clock strikes midnight, and the roaring 20’s reign in, pop the cork on the New Year with two fun, frisky, and flavorful wines!
We return to Italy for a lesson on geography, and heritage of course. Move over Chianti, out of the way Barolo! Italian wine genealogy has much more to offer than Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese, or Nebbiolo. Scarpetta Brut Rosé has fresh, zippy bubbles and is excellent to toast with friends, while Colosi Nero d’Avola is a traditional, Sicilian stunner featuring red fruits and herbs. Why make a resolution now, when the solution is always another bottle...
Scarpetta Spumante Brut Rosé “Timido”
Region: Italy, Friuli
Grape Varietal(s): 100% Pinot Nero
Viticulture: Cane pruned single guyot vines over gravelly soil
Method: Stainless steel fermentation, secondary fermentation done with the Charmat Method
Serving suggestions: Serve chilled
Age: Drink now through 2020
Tasting Notes: White strawberry and cherry dominate the nose, with lemon zest and fresh cut flowers. Fine, yet precise bubbles liven the palate, with crisp citrus and fresh herbs.
About Scarpetta
If you joined us for our July Heritage Club, Scarpetta’s “Frico” Friulano is still fresh in your mind. However, here is a recap: Scarpetta was born from a love of food and wine within the confines of the notable French Laundry. The former wine director and Master Sommelier, Bobby Stuckey, along with chef de partie Lachlan Mackinno-Patterson sought to bring a taste of true Italian wine to their newest project underway in Colorado. Thus, Scarpetta was born to showcase the magnificent wines produced in the region of Friuli in Northeastern Italy.
About “Timido”
Scarpetta playfully jests that if Italian wine law weren’t so strict, you might as well call this wine Prosecco Rosé. So what are the key differences? Prosecco must be a white Italian sparkling wine (strike one). And, while once referring to the grapes used in production, Prosecco is restricted to production in only the appellation it is produced, much akin to Champagne (strike two). Although Prosecco resides nearby to Friuli in the northeast of Italy, and while a bunch (pun intended) of the varietals used in Prosecco are grown in Friuli as well, wines produced in Friuli are not allowed to be labeled as such. However, dreamers do dream, and Scarpetta dreamed of what a Rosé style of Italy’s most classic sparkling wine could be. Using 100% Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir’s Italian alias), Scarpetta evokes the light and crisp fun of wines from Prosecco, while adding some flirtatious nuance with light red fruits.
Why I’m excited about this wine:
If I was on a desert island, and could only have one type of wine for the rest of my life, you could bet I’d always answer bubbles. No wine can be as fresh, funky, or spunky as wine with fizz. Heck, even if you’re not a fan of carbonated beverages, vintage Champagne or Italian Frizzante will give you all the bark with less bite. With so many fun flavors and interpretations, bubbles are always sure to impress and wow. “Timido” is no exception, taking the classic Italian method of sparkling wine, and flipping it on its head using Pinot Nero. While at New Years Eve or Valentine’s Day dinner, Scarpetta demonstrates that Spumante Rosé is nothing to be timid about.
Cantine Colosi Nero D’Avola Nero D’Avola Sicilia DOC
Region: Italy, Sicilia
Grape Varietal(s): 100% Nero D’Avola
Viticulture: Vertical trellis vines grow atop the limestone hills of Agrigento in Sicily's southwest shore
Method: A week long maceration in stainless steel, followed by a controlled alcoholic and malolactic fermentation, before aging five months in stainless
Serving suggestions: Pull out of the cellar and rest for 15 minutes before enjoying
Age: Drink now through 2020
Tasting notes: Tart cherry and rich cassis with anise, organic earth, and black olive. Youthful acidity balances the juicy and sweet fruit, with light tanin and hints of savory herbs on the finish
About Cantine Colosi
Starting as a partnership between friends Pietro Colosi and Carlo Hauner in the 1970’s, Cantine Colosi has since been passed on to it’s third generation of the Colosi family, advocating for the use of autochthonous varietals. Colosi strives to produce wines that embody the rustic spirit of Sicily, without the use of transplanted varietals. Caring for 10 hectares of vines, Pietro Colosi III crafts evocative wines of the area, highlighting the volcanic soil and unique microclimate of the warm, Sicilian island hills. Colosi decidedly follows the laws of the Aeolian archipelago, choosing to protect the rich landscape and territory over abiding by the strict laws governing Italian winemaking. He therefore chooses to label many wines of his wines as IGT.
About Nero D’Avola
Nero D’Avola loves the heat, and therefore has found a home in Sicily, where a significant portion of it is planted. Meaning “Black of Avola”, the grape takes its name from is distinctive dark coloring after veraison. Traditionally, there are two major styles of approaching Nero D’Avola. One, is to extract the ripe, rich, fruit forward flavors from this hot climate grower and to then make a lush and opulent oak aged wine. The other more classic style, as shown by Cantine Colosi, features a leaner wine aged in stainless steel that features more tart red fruits and herbaceous notes. Either way, Nero D’Avola is bound to please any red wine drinker, or wine buff.
Why I’m excited about this wine:
The Colosi’s family commitment to the preservation of ancient and traditional wine making serves as a remembrance of the importance to savor the way wine once was. Forgoing the production of wine for the people and instead making wine for the land yields a classic perspective that is often lost during our current generation. Pietro’s commitment to family and heritage define the importance of the timeline of wine as we know it. Appreciating his family’s hard work acknowledges that their efforts are not lost in the modern day. To Pietro, and his family, we raise a glass. For, if we do not take the time to look back, we might lose sight of the future. And, as they always warn, hindsight is 20/20.