Rosso at the table
Sommeliers at top Italian restaurants explain why Rosso di Montalcino is a great choice to go with typically Tuscan dishes
Montalcino is a small hillside town with fewer than 6,000 inhabitants, yet it’s surrounded by some of Tuscany’s choicest vineyards – namely those of the Sangiovese sibling rivals Brunello di Montalcino and Rosso di Montalcino.
For many years, Rosso di Montalcino wines have played second fiddle to bigger, bolder and more cellarworthy Brunellos. But in the restaurant trade, there are many who argue that Rosso should be judged on its own merits as a source of versatile, vibrant wines with their own distinctive expression of the Sangiovese Grosso grape.
‘Rosso di Montalcino doesn’t have to live in the shadow of its big brother,’ says sommelier Matt Cirne, beverage director at both Quince and Cotogna restaurants in San Francisco. ‘For me, the best Rossos are not those that seek to mimic the flavours of Brunello, but those that are lighter, vibrant and fresh.’
‘Rosso has a relatively light body and is made from younger vines; the shorter ageing period in barrel helps the primary fruit to stand out,’ adds Christophe Decoux, head sommelier at The River Café in London.
Matteo Zappile, head sommelier at two-star Michelin Il Pagliaccio in Rome, questions whether the ‘little brother’ label is still applicable, given the quality now to be found in Rosso di Montalcino wines. ‘Production is of such a high level that they’re almost equal,’ he says.
‘I often refer to Rosso di Montalcino wines as the definition of how wine is an integrated part of Italian culture,’ comments US sommelier and Italian food and wine writer Shelley Lindgren, who also co-owns SPQR restaurant in San Francisco. ‘Rosso is a wonderful inroad into the life of the locale, in the same way that most of those who live in Piedmont won’t choose to drink Barolo every day.
‘Rosso di Montalcino wines may have less ageing and selection requirements, but they are nonetheless made from excellently grown and sourced grapes.’
Names to know
‘My dear friend Roberto Fuligni considers his Rosso to be just as important as his Brunello,’ says Decoux. ‘His singlevineyard Ginestreto has developed a great complexity, fine-grained tannin and length.’ He explains how Montalcino’s vintages can shift in favour of its Rosso wines: ‘In 2004, Andrea Costanti did not release a Brunello due to bad weather. Instead all the greatest grapes were used in a super Rosso with wonderful elegance and structure – and his Vermiglio was born.’
‘Caparzo’s Rosso di Montalcino is on our wine list, and I also drink it at home,’ says Simone Bottaro, head sommelier at London’s Locanda Locatelli restaurant, referring to the region’s northernmost winery. ‘Slightly chilled – with my family, friends and a lovely record playing,’
Matt Cirne reveals his preference for biodynamic wines, and a benchmark producer: ‘Meticulous farming and a light hand in the cellar mean the Padovani sisters at Fonterenza make Rosso packed with purity and finesse. A little more traditional and always a great standby, La Torre’s wines can set the standard for classically styled Rosso di Montalcino.’
Ideal with food
Rosso di Montalcino, say our sommelier experts, is an incredibly versatile wine style, perfect for pairing with many antipasti and primi piatti dishes that might be overwhelmed by a Brunello.
‘If guests are starting their meal with red wine, then Rosso is often a better first move than Brunello – especially when charcuterie is involved,’ says Cirne. ‘It’s lighter in colour, body and tannins, so it pairs wonderfully with typically Tuscan starters like Cinta Senese salami or panzanella salad,’ agrees Bottaro.
In addition, Rosso wines can handle umami flavours, spicy or rich foods and dense tomato sauces when other lighter-bodied wines would fail.
‘Rosso di Montalcino is made from Sangiovese Grosso, which means that the skin is thicker than Sangiovese planted in the Chianti area, creating a more substantial style,’ explains Bottaro. He recommends ‘pasta dishes with mushrooms, or a touch of black truffle; perhaps a ragù sauce, topped with grated pecorino’.
Concurring that Brunello is best left for the secondi piatti in a traditional Italian meal, Decoux outlined his ideal succession of Tuscan wines and dishes: ‘It’s a pleasure to pair Rosso di Montalcino with ribollita soup and pappa al pomodoro, leaving Brunello for a bistecca alla Fiorentina.’