Italy
Welcome to the August edition of the l’Art du Vin wine club.
This month we are jetting off to Italy, a country I love from a wine and gastronomy point of view.
At this time of year, Italian wines are the perfect partner to late summer sunshine. The best Italian wines all have a similar DNA in that they are fashioned with an eye on food – bright, with acidity and, ultimately, incredible drinkability.
Among the selection this month is one of my wines of the summer – the ‘Scalabrone Rosato’ from the Antinori family.
They have been making wine for an incredible 26 generations. Arguably best known for their legendary ‘Tignanello’ cuvée from Tuscany, this rosé comes from their Guado al Tasso estate in Bolgheri. In my mind, it is a wine that showcases all that can be great about rosé: ripe fruit, bright acidity, wonderfully fresh and a long finish that ensures it is gastronomically flexible but also a delight on its own.
As much as I love summer, I am looking forward to sharing a few more autumnal wines with you in the coming months. I think it is the best season for Scottish ingredients, and we have so many exciting wines to share with you.
Many thanks for your continued support.
Best wishes
Philippe
Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore ‘Casal di Serra’, Umani Ronchi, Marche 2021
Producer
Umani Ronchi is a family-run winery with vineyard sites scattered along the Adriatic coastal regions of Marche and Abruzzo. The winery was founded in the 1950s by the Bianchi Bernetti family, in partnership with Gino Umani Ronchi.
Its original location was in Cupramontana, considered the capital of Verdicchio, one of Italy’s great white grapes.
Since its inception, the team at Umani Ronchi have been best known for the production of the two most representative wines of the region: Verdicchio and Rosso Conero. This tradition is kept alive by Massimo Bernetti and his son Michele, the latest generation to take over at the helm.
Tasting Notes
A refined and expressive Verdicchio: visually glowing straw-gold, aromatically rich with floral and stone-fruit notes, and elegantly balanced on the palate with freshness and a sustained, fruity finish.
Food Pairing
The perfect wine for summer sipping. However it comes alive when paired grilled white fish or seafood such as mussels.
Scalabrone Rosato di Bolgheri, Guado al Tasso, Bolgheri 2022
Producer
The Antinori family, one of Italy’s oldest and most prestigious winemaking dynasties, has been producing wine since 1385. Renowned for innovation and quality, they played a key role in the Super Tuscan movement.
In the Bolgheri region, the Antinori family owns the Guado al Tasso estate, located near the Tyrrhenian coast in Tuscany’s Maremma.
Spanning over 300 hectares of vineyards, the estate is celebrated for producing elegant, structured wines, notably the flagship Guado al Tasso Bolgheri Superiore. The estate’s terroir—marked by sun, sea breezes, and gravelly soils—enables the cultivation of international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah.
Tasting Notes
This light peony pink rosé is produced from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and a touch of Syrah. The nose presents intense notes of red berries especially ripe cherries and pomegranates accompanied by hints of candied citrus fruit. The palate is delightfully fruity, delicate with outstanding freshness and persistence.
Food Pairing
My personal favourite is to pair this wine with a fresh Caprese salad doused in balsamic vinegar – nothing beats that on a warm summer evening! Also a great partner to other salads, light fish and white meat dishes or, another personal pick, Margherita pizza.
Merlot, Castel Firmian, Trentino 2024
Producer
Castel Firmian is a co-operative made up of likeminded, quality-driven growers throughout the Trentino region.
70% of their combined harvest comes from areas which are located in DOCG appellations. The vines which contribute fruit to the project run from the foot of the Italian Dolomites to the plains around Lake Garda. As a result of this wide topographical area, the team are able to select only the best quality fruit each year to fashion the single-varietal cuvees for which they have become best known.
It is a common misconception that all wine co-operatives produce poor quality wines in big volumes. In actual fact, there are many co-ops out there who produce exciting wines that truly speak of their terroirs. A co-op is where a winery buys in grapes from a network of grape growers and makes their own-labelled wine. This has been a business model in the wine world for centuries and is particularly common among the best-known wineries of Champagne.
There are a number of reasons that a grape grower may opt to sell their fruit to a co-op. Winemaking equipment is expensive, the production of wine is a supremely complex skill and many growers simply don’t produce fruit in sufficient quantities to produce enough wine to form the basis of a viable business. That’s where quality co-ops step in and, when they are as diligent in their quality control process as the team at Castel Firmian, the resulting wines can be a real treat!
Tasting Notes
Possesses an intense nose of ripe fruits and hints of oak. The palate is dry, complex and well-structured with a smooth, round finish.
Food Pairing
An easy wine to enjoy without food. Acts as the ideal foil to dishes such as lamb chops or roast chicken.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Castel Firmian, Trentino 2022
Producer
Castel Firmian is a co-operative made up of likeminded, quality-driven growers throughout the Trentino region.
70% of their combined harvest comes from areas which are located in DOCG appellations. The vines which contribute fruit to the project run from the foot of the Italian Dolomites to the plains around Lake Garda. As a result of this wide topographical area, the team are able to select only the best quality fruit each year to fashion the single-varietal cuvees for which they have become best known.
It is a common misconception that all wine co-operatives produce poor quality wines in big volumes. In actual fact, there are many co-ops out there who produce exciting wines that truly speak of their terroirs. A co-op is where a winery buys in grapes from a network of grape growers and makes their own-labelled wine. This has been a business model in the wine world for centuries and is particularly common among the best-known wineries of Champagne.
There are a number of reasons that a grape grower may opt to sell their fruit to a co-op. Winemaking equipment is expensive, the production of wine is a supremely complex skill and many growers simply don’t produce fruit in sufficient quantities to produce enough wine to form the basis of a viable business. That’s where quality co-ops step in and, when they are as diligent in their quality control process as the team at Castel Firmian, the resulting wines can be a real treat!
Tasting Notes
Bold and structured, this possesses bags of rich dark fruit, herbal nuances (like eucalyptus), and subtle spice from oak aging. Its full body and tannins make it an excellent partner for hearty, flavourful dishes.
Food Pairing
Another that can be enjoyed without the need for accompaniment. But is definitely elevated when sat next to a grilled ribeye steak or venison dish.
