The wine was a revelation to me. Its juicy, acidic vitality made it a standout against the frankly boring, corporate Chiantis and Supertuscans that typify Ruffino's production (at least B. C. -- Before Carlo [Ferrini]).
At $70 retail, it's no cheap quaff, but the wine's liveliness and congeniality with food do make you want to keep on drinking it. (At 13.5% it's not quite the hi-test vino that you associate with international-style red wines either.)
Adolfo Folonari, Ruffino's CEO, the Founder of the Feast
What is this wonderful "discovery"? (To the market it's not a new wine but, sadly, it was to me.)
Ruffino's Romitorio di Santedame 2003, Toscana IGT, a blend of the almost forsaken Colorino (60%) and Merlot (40%).
"Oh God," you may murmur, "just what the world's crying out for, another Merlot blend from Tuscany."
No, no. Look at it this way: Colorino, a blending grape that often lent Chianti a little blast of lightness and freshness, now has a starring role of its own. Almost abandoned as a blending partner in most of the past two decades, it is making a modest comeback as producers are beginning to lighten up on the imported varieties. Somewhere along the way, as is now commonly acknowledged, Chianti lost its way with its infatuation with French grapes, French oak, French letters, etc.
The Colorino's light fruitiness is nicely anchored by the darker, meatier Merlot. The result is an admirably balanced wine that does a lot in my jaded old eyes to make Ruffino interesting.
I think that hope and desire is felt keenly by the firm. When I commented on the Romitorio to Adolfo Folonari, the CEO, he smiled broadly and said that, yes, they were counting heavily on it. Presumably, though he didn't express it this way, in order to help maintain Ruffino's image as the Ferrini era gathers momentum.
Before continuing to the specs and so forth, I will anticipate any lingering naysayers who might bitch that "perfectly good vineyard space is being devoted to such a stunt" -- Italy isn't the only place where some wine people detest change -- let me mention that the exposition of the vineyards where these varieties are grown lie to the north and west. Less sunny areas at high elevations (up to 1500 feet) where Sangiovese would often fail to ripen sufficiently. The resulting Romitorio is an elegant solution to what must have been a perennial problem for the agronomo and the enologo tied to a traditional blending regime.
Avanti, amici miei.
Some specs and highlights from the Ruffino fact sheet on Romitorio di Santedame
Location: Santedame is in Castellina in Chianti, province of Siena. Poor, rocky soil with north and west expositions, up to 1500 feet above sea level.
Vineyards: Discovery of several unique biotypes of Colorino and Merlot were discovered on the estate in the 1970s, forming the basis for the current plantings.
Vinification and Ageing: Hand harvested on steep terrain. First fermentation, aided by racking and punching down, is done in stainless steel vats at a controlled temperature of 82-86F for two weeks. Maceration on skins lasts another three weeks. Right after racking, the wines of each variety complete malolactic fermentation in first- and second-use barriques (Allier and Troncais) for 18 months. Then the wines are blended, rest in stainless steel tanks, then are bottled with further ageing for one year before release.
Alcohol 13.5%
Yeah, way ahead of me. So what else is new?
Better late than never, eh?
I hope they gave you a good amount of money to write that about Ruffino...if they didn't gave you money I think you need to get off the Soprano's for few months, all those bottle of Riserva Ducale that T Soprano opens almost every episode might have brain washed your palate.
Buona Bevuta a Tutti...
PS Who's next Cavit???
Posted by: Gabrio Tosti | October 26, 2007 at 03:11 PM
Uffa, perche' mi squarci le balle? Eh Tony, 'stu strunz' lu fa' fora!
OK, Riserva Ducale isn't my favorite either. But I think the story here is that there is a turnaround under way at the Big R, albeit a slow and often painful one.
What did they pay me? A free lunch. We all feed at that particular trough every now and then, vero? Yo, if it's OK with Howard Goldberg, it's OK wit' me.
Posted by: Terry Hughes | October 26, 2007 at 03:23 PM