Giro d’Italia

Girolamo Russo was founded in 2005 by Giuseppe Russo in memory of his late father. The family is native to one of the key villages which lies on the north face of Mount Etna, which is very much at the heart of Etna’s rebirth of Nerello Mascalese. The Russos have 26 hectares of land in and around Passopisciaro, with 15 hectares of vineyards surrounded by olive and hazelnut groves. Their vines for A’Rina run high up, between 650 and 780 metres above sea level with many of the free-standing bush vines over 80 years old. Giuseppe works the vineyards organically and makes the wines himself. 

Nerello Mascalese provides an incredible option for lovers of Nebbiolo or Pinot Noir, with vibrant fruits, velvety tannins and a distinctive minerality. Indigenous to Mount Etna, it is truly most at home here over anywhere else in the world, with its true complexity brought to life in the hands of Giuseppe Russo.

For years, Damiano Ciolli has been dedicated to reviving the little known grape variety of Cesanese in his native region of Lazio. His drive and determination has seen him come to the forefront of producers working with the grape. Silene draws its name from a wild flower that is commonly grown near the winery, and is a selection of Cesanese from within the estate. Commitment to quality sees hand harvesting and use of natural yeast, before aging in stainless steel to retain freshness and purity to the fruit flavours. 

Cesanese is a grape native to Lazio and is still largely grown within the region itself. Historically, it was used to make sparkling and sweet red wines, but nowadays is commonly produced in a dry, still expression and known for its light-bodied nature and approachability in its youth. Ciolli’s Silene exemplifies this while also showing a greater depth of flavours than most others with balanced tannins, delicate iron and herbal notes and a bright minerality on the palate.

Andrea Sottimano and his father Rino produce wines of outstanding quality from 13 hectares in the Treiso and Neive townships of the Barbaresco wine region. In addition to their flagship Barbarescos, they produce an incredible Barbera d’Alba which in itself demonstrates the depth and capacity possible of Barbera. Their approach is one of minimal intervention – natural yeasts for fermentation, no fining or filtering of the wines and the use of only organic fertilisers. Old vines from a single vineyard are used for this cuvée, which add to the complexity of the resulting wine.

Barbera can often be overlooked in the context of Piedmontese red grapes, overshadowed by Nebbiolo from Barolo and Barbaresco. That being said, it holds its own charm and appeal with more youthful approachability than often seen with Nebbiolo. Sottimano’s use of restrained new oak adds notes of wild cherry and black plum to the wine. 

Montevertine holds a very interesting position in the history of Chianti. Sergio Manetti, founder of Montervetine, was a devoted protagonist of Sangiovese who held a belief in its unique power to demonstrate the qualities of its native terroir within Tuscany. The regulations of the era meant that producing mono-varietal wines under the label of Chianti Classico were prohibited and had to include blending in white varieties. As such, Sergio stopped producing Chianti Classico DOC in 1981. Despite regulation changes in 1995, Mr. Manetti chose to remain outside of the appellation with Montevertine having established its own path over those many years. Pian del Ciampolo is one of the estate’s three wines, and is produced to be the most youthfully approachable – designed for drinking at the earliest age. It is largely Sangiovese, with tiny amounts of Canaiolo and Colorino (two indigienous red varieties to Tuscany) sourced from a single parcel that was re-planted in 2003. It offers a pure expression of both Montevertine and Sangiovese with delicate red fruited notes balanced by a savoury edge and balanced tannins. The wine is no mere ‘entry level’ compared to the vast majority of wines from Tuscany, and gives us an insight into the quality that Montevertine holds. 

When people think of Nebbiolo, there is a natural association with the wines of Piedmont and particularly those of Barolo and Barbaresco. However, heading towards the Swiss border and into the mountainous region of Vatellina holds some excitement with an alternative expression to this much loved grape. Ar.Pe.Pe, an acronym of the founder Arturo Pelizzati-Perego, re-established the estate in 1984 after having patiently waited out existing rental contracts on the family’s 6 hectares of vineyards. Their history in the region dates back five generations to the 1860s, and the dedication that the family has shown since re-founding has solidified them as the top producer within the appellation. Their Rosso di Valtellina is a blend of vineyards within the estate’s holdings. While following a similar vinification process of extended time on skins, the wine is designed for shorter aging than their Riservas. It carries through sweet red fruits backed by persistent but balanced tannins and a vibrant acidity. The fruits balance against Nebbiolo’s signature aromas of rose petals and an earthy character for a beguiling example of Nebbiolo from a lesser-known region. 

Massolino occupies a history within Serralunga d’Alba, a village within Barolo, dating back to 1896. The vast majority of the fruit for their Barolo comes from five vineyards within Serralunga, a true indicator of the power and elegance. Their style of production is very much of a classical Barolo, with long aging in large oak barrels for at least 30 months before more than a year in bottle before release. 2015 was a warm and sunny year, bringing generous fruit flavours forward and working as a beautiful compliment to the style of Massolino. It demonstrates Nebbiolo’s beautiful balance between red fruit flavours, an earthy complexity and lifted florals of wild flowers. Despite its firm tannins and acidity, it will soon reach its delicious drinking window and blossoms beautifully with time in a decanter and the glass. A wine to sit back, sip and enjoy as the rose petal florals, fresh cherries and truffle aromas evolve throughout the bottle.