Alfonso Cevola, wine writer and lover of great vino, Italian in particular, along with the beauty of understanding a wine’s heritage and the connection that we, other lovers, have to a great bottle of wine paired impeccably with the perfect dish, offered these suggestions.
82 Grato Grati Sangiovese – I am glad Alfonso included this. So many people brush Chianti, and thus Sangiovese, off. But it is a fantastic grape that can hold up to rich Italian tomato sauce, cut through hearty beef sauces and enjoy sipping under the Tuscan sun. And, it can stand up to age well, as shown in this 1982 offering. The producers hold the wine for many years in large oak barrels, allowing the wine to slowly mature, and is only bottled when they feel it is ready.
58 Vallana Spanna del Piemonte – Spanna is the Navarese name for Nebbiolo…which is one of my favorite grapes, well known for its use in Barolo. At least 85% Nebbiolo, Spanna is one of the best aging wines in Italy, some say more so than Barolo, and this 1958 representation is said to be one of the most rustic, yet elegant, from one of the best vintages in Italian history.
