Ciao Tutti!
This weekend at Piazza Italian Market we will taste a new wine we are considering for our collection, the Il Nero di 2020 Casanova IGT ($22.25) from the Sassontino vineyard of the La Spinetta winery in Terricciola,Toscana.
Some of you are already familiar with this winery’s Rosato that has become my fave Rose’, that also has the distinctive label of a rhinoceros depicted in a print by Durer in 1515.
The story of Spinetta began in the early 1960’s with Giuseppe (Pin) Rivetti and his wife, Lidia, who were both farmers. Farming soon became winemaking and the second generation of the four Rivetti children, Bruno, Giorgio, Giovanna and Carla, assumed management of the winery with the first production of Moscatos in 1977, which became some of the first single-cru Moscatos to be produced in Italy. They quickly built upon their initial success and soon the focus was red grapes, culminating in 1989’s Barbera Ca di Pian, followed by Pin, in honor of the family patriarch. In 2001, Toscana beckoned and they created a “new winery”, Casanova della Spinetta with two vineyards; the Sassontino vineyard is devoted to Sangiovese.
Oceanic sediments are present in the soil of Sassontino which impart great richness and elegance to the wine. Giorgio Rivetti believes the elegance of their Sangiovese reminds him of the floral scents and grace of a great Nebbiolo.
The Il Nero di Casanova is the most representative wine from the Casanova estate. “Nero” derives from “vino nero”, which was the original name of Tuscan red wines. On the nose it has hints of dark fruits-blackberries, blueberries, and cherries; its taste is full bodied, tannins are velvety, with great acidity for a great finish.
With our low temperatures, this weekend calls for a Sangiovese and dishes such as grilled meats, veal ragu, cured sausages, tomato-based pasta sauces, mushroom risotto, and Gorgonzola cheese.
Come join me Friday from noon to 5:45 or Saturday from noon to 4:45 (hours may depend upon the weather) for this outstanding Sangiovese!
Cin Cin!
Jenn
Piazza Italian Market is an ttalian specialty grocery offering sandwiches, panini, and wine, plus cheese boards classes. Located in: Talbot Town Shopping Center Talbot Town Shopping Center, 218 N Washington St, Easton, MD 21601
Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual careers in architecture and real estate since she moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has reestablished her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectural expertise to help buyers envision how they could modify a potential property. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoons.
