Last year I shared a post entitled Brunello, a Book, and a Boston Butt: Frescobaldi CastelGiocondo Brunello di Montalcino with Italian Braised Pork, which tied in a fun read, memories of a stay in beautiful Montalcino, and a yummy pork dish.
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| I created this braised pork dish last summer, but it definitely feels more like a cold-weather dish, so it's a good time to revisit it now. |
At the time, I’d intended to write a second post to share more about the wonderful visit Greg and I had at CastelGiocondo in 2018, but as tends to happen to me a lot, time and life got away from me and I’ve never managed to get that second post up until now. Lately, I’ve been trying to share some of these I’ve-been-meaning-to-write-that posts. Revisiting travel memories has also been particularly nice recently while we continue to be grounded, so I’ll take advantage today to share memories of this sunny afternoon in Tuscany spent in the vineyards tasting delicious wines. After all, who wouldn’t want to find themselves sipping wines in a sun-drenched vineyard right now? I’m a little jealous of past me.
Brunello di Montalcino
I invite you to look back at this post for a little more background on the region and city in general, but here are some quick basics on the wine and this DOCG that surrounds the hilltop town of Montalcino.
- Brunello is one of Tuscany’s most celebrated wines and can command high prices. As is the case throughout much of the region, Sangiovese is the star grape. Brunello must be made from 100% Sangiovese and Sangiovese Grosso is the clone(s) the area is known for.
- Wines are aged for at least four years, with a minimum of two years in wood, and four months in bottle prior to release. Riserva wines get an extra year in bottle for a total of five, and six months in bottle prior to release. Even with all that aging before release, Brunellos can age for a very long time and might take quite a few years before they hit their peak.
- These wines tend to be full-bodied with lots of acidity and pronounced tannins. They’re bold and flavorful wines with a mix of red and black fruits (I tend to get lots of sour black cherry notes), espresso, leather, licorice, and there are also often earthy and herbal notes mixed in. I find these wines usually benefit from decanting, so give them time to breathe after opening. I will note though that not everyone agrees on this point. For example, the winemaker at CasteGiocondo, who we'll meet in a moment, prefers to see how the wine evolves in the glass, so he opens the bottles a bit early, but does not decant. These wines are fabulous with rich, meaty dishes and dishes driven by umami flavors like braised meats and savory stews.
CastelGiocondo
CastelGiocondo is a part of the Frescobaldi family of wineries. The estate is located southwest of Montalcino at an altitude of 300 meters. The village of CastelGiocondo overlooks the historic estate of the Frescobaldis in Montalcino, which was built in 1100 as a stronghold to defend the road leading from the sea to Siena. The property was one of the first four to begin producing Brunello di Montalcino in 1800.
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| The winery at CastelGiocondo was quite beautiful. |
In the vineyards, Filippo spent quite a bit of time explaining the different types of soils on the property for us, which include clay and sand, which are newer soils and have some marine influences. There is also schist, in particular galestro soils which Tuscany is known for, which are much older, dating back to the Crustaceous Period. They vinify the different plots separately, as wines grown from grapes on the various plots tend to age differently. He explained how some of the different soil types affect the character of Sangiovese.
Clay: Sangio grown on clay tend to be more delicate and aromatic. Most of the wines from the clay plots tend to go into their Rosso di Montalcino which is intended to be brighter and fresher for earlier consumption. Some might also be in the Brunellos for the aromatics.
Marl: Produces wines with fine tannins and beautiful finesse on the nose
Sand: Wines tend to show softer tannins, more cherry notes, and pretty aromatics.
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| You can see marine fossils in the soil - they're the rounded stones here. |
Schist (Galestro): Wines tend to be more structured with more pronounced tannins. They might choose to allow more oxygen to reach these wines (by using a smaller barrel, for example) to help soften the tannins. The galestro soils tend to produce wines with more savory and minerally qualities.
We also spent some time talking about clones. I mentioned that Brunello is known for the Sangiovese Grosso clone, or clones as it’s more likely a group of clones. Sangiovese is an ancient grape, and things get complicated with clones and biotypes when talking about grapes this old. I don’t pretend to fully understand it by any means. They have about 80 clones of Sangiovese in their vineyards, but they predominantly use about 20 of them. The clones are mixed in the vineyard to produce a sturdier crop that is more adaptable overall in their view.
There are some other very cool aspects to visiting the property, even if you don’t intend to geek out about clones and soil types. The winery has an artist residency program sponsoring three artists per year.
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| There some art exhibits and others pieces displayed around the winery. |
The winery also has rooms you can stay in on the gorgeous property and a small spa with views of the hills and their Brunello vineyards.
Wines Sampled
After our vineyard tour, we sat down with Filippo to taste through some of the wines, exploring several different vintages of the Brunellos. That tasting was set up on a terrace with a spectacular view overlooking some of the vineyards.
Campo ai Sassi Rosso di Montalcino 2016 (average price $18): They think of this wine as a “Brunellino” as it’s also made from Sangiovese, but in a fresher style than the Brunellos, although it also showed elegance and plenty of structure. The grapes for this wine were grown in clay soils. 2016 was a particularly good vintage and should age well, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for this one for a particularly good value.
Tasting Notes: Very bright strawberry and raspberry notes, with aromatic floral notes, as well as hints of herbs like rosemary.
Brunello di Montalcino 2013 (average price $60): Grapes for the Brunello are grown on schist and sandy soils.
Tasting Notes: Strawberry leather, red licorice, and medicinal herbs on the nose. A hint of meatiness and some floral violet notes joined in on the palate. The tannins were less aggressive on this one in comparison to others, and it was approachable and enjoyable. It had a savory, minerally quality which apparently is typical of the area.
Brunello di Montalcino 2010 (average price $65): This was a cool vintage, with a mild summer, and dry September, which translated into a powerful vintage with lots of minerality.
Tasting Notes: Savory herb salt, lavender, fennel, meatiness, black tea, orange rind, and forest floor came out on the nose. On the palate, it was dense with notes of raspberry, sour cherry, and a little tomato sauce. This was still young and felt like it could use more time to unwind.
It gained a fruitier quality when sampled alongside some aged cheese.
Brunello di Montalcino 2007 (average price $55): This was a warm vintage and had a broader, more mouth-filling quality than the intensely structured 2010.
Tasting Notes: The wine’s nose showed deeper, riper fruit notes of plum sauce, as well as some dried fruit notes of dates and prunes, which were balanced by a rhubarb note, as well as notes of spice and black licorice. All these notes continued on the palate but gained a more savory edge. Tannins were firm but smooth.
Ripe al Convento Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2012 (average price $116): Grapes for this wine are grown on schist and galestro soils. This was a warm vintage, but the vineyard for this wine has a different aspect than the other Brunellos and gets cooler later in the day
Tasting Notes: On the nose, the wine showed notes of stewed berries, red licorice, and kirsch. On the palate, it also showed notes of sour cherries, hints of spice, pink flowers, lavender, and a pretty herb bouquet. The wine’s tannins had smoothed out, more so than the 2010 Brunello which was older, and it also still showed a lot of verve, along with savory notes that are apparently typical of the schist soils.
We brought home a bottle of the 2013, which we enjoyed with an Italian-style braised pork dish on polenta, which was so cozy and delicious and perfect for this time of year. I’m sure it would make a great match with any of these wines.
Check out these other posts related to our Italian road trip:
This month the Italian Food Wine Travel blogging group (#ItalianFWT) are looking at Italian wines paired with braised meats or stews, hosted by Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla. You can read her invitation post here. If you read this early enough, feel free to join on our conversation on 2/6/21 on Twitter at 8 am PT/11 am ET by following #ItalianFWT.
- Braised Beef Short Ribs in Red Wine Sauce +2012 Produttori del Barbaresco by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
- Braised Brisket with Donnachiara’s Kapemort Aglianico by Vino Travels
- Braised Pork Ragù over Pasta + Bruna Grimaldi Nebbiolo d'Alba 2017 by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Chianti Beef Stew by Our Good Life
- Dolcettto d'Alba: A Food-Friendly Bet for Braised Chicken by My Full Wine Glass
- Farina Amarone della Valpolicella with Ground Pork in Karela Rings by Chinese Food & Wine Pairings
- Home Cooking with Sabrina Tedeschi and the Wines of Agricola Tedeschi by Grape Experiences
- Hunter's Style Chicken and Cantina di Filippo by FoodWineClick!
- Pasta e Ceci with Chianti Classico from astellina by The Swirling Dervish
- Pasta with Pork Braised in Red Wine with Tasca d'Almerita Lamuri Nero d'Avola 2018 by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- The Most Tender Short Ribs You'll Ever Have, Perfectly Paired With Red Wines From Abruzzo by The Wine Chef
- Warming Up Winter with Braised Oxtail and Casa Bottega Ripasso Superiore by The Quirky Cork
- What’s the Difference? 3 Organic Montepulciano: Vino Nobile,d’Abruzzo, and Molise Paired with Ragu by Wine Predator
There is a lot to be anxious about. The world is a little overwhelming at present with so much work to be done across so many spectrums. I’ve been trying to fill the quieter moments in between with as much softness, light, care, and coziness as possible. On my downtime, I have to admit that I’ve been looking for comfort just about everywhere these days – in food, in wine, in books and movies, and in memories. I decided to bring a bunch of different things that bring me comfort together in today’s post – a bottle full of memories from a wonderful trip paired with a fun read and a meal inspired by it.
Montalcino was actually the very first stop on our road trip after we recovered from our jetlag for a couple of days in Rome. It is off the charts charming. Montalcino is a walled, hilltop town with a castle fortress in the Val d’Orcia. Everything about that sounds like a fairy tale! Once you arrive in the town, spectacular views of the countryside spread out around you that will take your breath away.
It also feels like you’re in a completely different moment in time since pretty much everything around you was built centuries ago. Here is a brief history of the town from Traveling in Tuscany:
The quiet Tuscan village of Montalcino has undergone few changes since medieval times, when it was a stronghold pertaining to the nearby city of Siena. Montalcino was once a strategic point along the road to Rome and offers a panoramic view of the beautiful Asso, Orcia and Ombrone valleys. . . . The history of Montalcino dates back to the Etruscan and Roman periods, and its name was formed from the Latin ‘mons ilcinus’ (holm-oak mountain). Though independent for a time in the 12th century, the town later became subject to Sienese rule. During the 14th century, the city’s fortress was built to better defend the southernmost border of the Sienese Republic. However, four years after Florence defeated Siena (in 1555), Montalcino landed within the jurisdiction of the Granducato di Toscana of Cosimo dei Medici.
The pairing I created for today’s wine was inspired by a novel that brought me right back to this walled city and it amazing wines. Before we get there though, let’s take a look at those wines.
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO
The area has had some economic ups and downs over time, but its fortunes certainly rose thanks to the fame of its premiere wine – Brunello di Montalcino.
Tuscany’s star grape is Sangiovese and there is no exception here. Sangiovese is an ancient grape with many clones and biotypes and the versions particular to Montalcino helped to make it famous. The story goes that Ferruccio Biondi-Santi isolated superior clones of Sangiovese Grosso particular to the area. He first bottled a wine from this clone(s) in 1865 and gave it the distinctive name Brunello, which translates roughly to “little dark one."
What’s interesting though is that for a very long time the region wasn’t known for its red wines. Even after Biondi-Santi first bottled his Brunello, the area was mostly known for making sweet and sparkling wines from the Moscadello grape. Brunello production didn’t really start to take off until the 1960’s and 70’s. Then it’s reputation and production kicked into high gear. By 1980 it had made a big enough name for itself to be named one of Italy’s first DOCG’s, along with Barolo in Piedmont.
Brunello must be made from 100 percent Sangiovese and aged for at least four years, with a minimum of two years in wood, and four months in bottle prior to release. Riserva wines get an extra year in bottle for a total of five, and six months in bottle prior to release. Even with all that aging prior to release, Brunello wines can age for a very long time and might take quite a few years before they hit their peak.
THE WINE
I had some hesitation about opening this bottle now as it was still a little young for a Brunello. Nonetheless, we decided to go ahead and just made sure to give it a lot of air. Better too early than too late after all! (At the same time, "too late" for this wine won’t be for a long time.)
On the day we opened this bottle, we picked up notes of licorice, violet, black cherry, and prunes on the nose. All of these notes came back on the palate and were joined by notes of dried blackberries, pine forest, and cigar box.
This is an opulent wine that’s full-bodied, with medium + to high acidity, and dense but fine tannins.
THE PAIRING
It’s a fun romp through Tuscany in which the main character, Jacoby Pines, heads to Italy after being fired from his PR job in New York. He ends up unraveling a family mystery and finds a new life in the process. It’s exactly the type of wish-fulfillment caper that makes for the type of escapist read that is so appealing at the moment. I mean, who doesn’t want to suddenly find themselves with a delightful new life in Tuscany?! I read it last summer, but have recently found my thoughts drifting to this fantasy.
Food and wine are major features of the story’s backdrop, which certainly helped draw me in. At one point, Jacoby takes himself on a little excursion to Montalcino and winds up falling in love with a Brunello he drinks at the enoteca inside the fortress:
From a handsome man about his age, Jacoby ordered a plate of Pecorino in three varieties and a goblet of 2007 Brunello from a producer called Il Poggione. He sipped and swirled the marvelous wine, deep yet floral, complex yet accessible, taking little bites of cheese, some soft and studded with tiny black truffles or unadorned but dripped with local honey; some aged and dappled in syrupy vinegar. When it was over, Jacoby felt a thread of sadness which he hoped to dash through the purchase of a case of the very wine he’d just drank. (Ch. 30)
While we didn’t have a glass in the castle’s enoteca on our visit, we did stroll around inside and had many meals and glasses at restaurants nearby. One of our very favorite meals of the trip was at Drogheria Franci which is across the street from the castle, and we also had a delicious dinner at Re di Macchia which is a short walk away.
Moreover, our room at the B&B we stayed at, Il Barlanzone Affittacamere, overlooked the castle, so I had a very vivid picture in my mind as Jacoby had his glass and strolled around the streets of Montalcino.
He goes on to buy a case of the wine and later shares it with his new friend, father figure, and fellow expat Bill as he is preparing a boar for a local sagra, a big town festival. When I read the book, I thought it would be fun to try to recreate a version of Bill’s dish to pair with a Brunello. Now seemed like a great time to give this experiment a shot!
In the book, Bill’s boar is slow-cooked and served with creamy polenta. On the one hand, this type of dish seems very autumnal to me – not typically what I find myself cooking at this time of year. On the other hand, it’s also a super comforting dish, and that certainly seems in order at the moment. I decided to search through the book for clues on Bill’s process:
After the gallons of brine were ladled over the meat in their containers, Bill and Jacoby carried them together, very carefully, to a walk-in storage area off the kitchen. The room was not refrigerated but dark and cool enough to keep the meat fresh, especially under liquid swimming with aromatics and seasoned with dissolved salt and sugar. The next day, they would have to be removed, the meat rinsed of the brine, dried and returned to the cleaned containers to be covered with a marinade for the last 24-hours before the sagra. (Ch 35)The boar, or cinghiale, is then cooked low and slow. A little later there’s a further description of the finished dish:
On baking sheets, under foil cover, the meat glistened with moisture. Jacoby tried to fork some out but the meat broke on the tines. He grabbed a metal serving spoon and scooped up some meat and its flavorful broth colored by tomato and spiked by seasonings, including whole black peppercorns. He covered the polenta with the concoction and then walked slowly to the dining salon, where he placed the plate on a table. (Ch 40)
So we know that a brine with salt and sugar is used, followed by a marinade with aromatics, and that broth has tomatoes, black pepper, and additional seasonings. I also wrote down and made use of juniper berries, but for the life of me can’t find it now in the book. Still, I do think they evoke the cypress trees you see all over Tuscany, so I think they fit even if I potentially imagined reading that they were included.
I prepared the polenta according to Marcella Hazan’s method, although I decided to add pork fat stolen from my braise instead of butter, and I swirled in a little cream at the end.
The results were fantastic! And the pairing with the CastelGiocondo Brunello was phenomenal. The wine matched the weight of the dish, but all the acidity cut through the fattiness of the pork in a refreshing way. The savory and herbs and spices in food complemented the wine and vice versa. Pepper notes in the wine emerged with the food, as did note of sundried tomato. Light hints of juniper in the sauce elevated floral and pine notes in the wine. I gave a happy sigh at the pairing, while Greg’s exclaimed “Oh Mama!”
OTHER POSSIBILITIES
I love Brunello, but let’s face it, it is pricey and definitely not an everyday wine, at least not around here. Luckily, there are lots of good alternatives to be found. You can easily opt for a Rosso di Montalcino, which is also made from Sangiovese and from the same area. These wines are usually made from younger vines and require much less aging than Brunello. They tend to be fresher in style, are ready to drink much earlier, and are a lot less pricey. They’re definitely a great alternative for everyday consumption!
Fuller and more structured versions of Sangiovese from elsewhere in Tuscany, like Vino Nobile de Montepulciano or Chianti Classico, and the rest of Italy should work as well. In fact, the recipe I created for this Ricasoli Chianti Classico is also a slow-cooked pork dish with some variations, and either wine should work nicely with either preparation.
If you love Piedmontese wines, Barbera and Nebbiolo based wines like Barolo would make great options as well. Actually, polenta would be much more typical of the northern part of the country where these wines are from.
The winery recommends “beef stews, braised meats, and aged cheeses” with this wine. In general, because this is a big wine with lots of flavors, it tends to work well richer dishes.
THE GEEKY DETAILS
Taken from the tech sheet.
Vineyard Location: CastelGiocondo Estate, Montalcino. Well-drained soils, and southwest facing exposure.
Blend: 100% Sangiovese
Winemaking Details: 30 days maceration on the skins. Malolactic fermentation immediately done after the alcoholic fermentation.
Maturation: Completed in Slavonian oak casks and French oak barrels.
Vintage Report: The 2013 growing season saw regular rainfall throughout spring and early summer, which helped the grapevines develop perfectly. The second half of the summer was quite warm, but without the type of heat spikes that could have compromised the grape’s ripening. The ripening of the berries benefited from alternating warm days and cool nights, producing ripe grapes rich in phenolic substances – e.g. anthocyanins and tannins – whilst preserving their delicate aromas.
Alcohol by volume: 14. 5%
MONEY TALK
Brunello’s price tag will almost always be in the Baller Wine realm. The aging requirements alone make making this wine pricey. Growing grapes of sufficient quality to withstand that aging also isn’t easy or inexpensive. Not every bottle is great of course, so if you’re going to buy a bottle it’s a question of making sure it’s a good one. We really enjoyed this one.
We bought this wine at the winery, but I don’t know for how much. The average price for this wine across all vintages is $57, although I believe the release price was around $79. Sadly, I do not see many US retailers listed. If you can find a bottle for $57, I actually think that’s a really good price for this wine.
PRO TIPS
Definitely decant this wine. Our bottle was still a bit young for Brunello and needed the time to open up. I opened it several hours before we drank it and was very glad we did! If you’re opening an older Brunello, it is just as important to decant as it will tend to have a lot of sediment. Be gentle with the bottle as you handle it, and stop pouring as soon as you see sediment appear in the shoulder of the bottle. It helps to keep a light on this spot to help you see as you pour. Candles are traditionally used by somms in this ritual, but your phone’s flashlight will work very well too, and is probably better since you will likely already have it with you!
Italian Braised Pork
Ingredients:
- 4 to 5 lbs pork butt or pork shoulder
- Brine mixture as needed to coat the pork well (I use a purchased brine mix, but you can also make an easy version with equal portions of salt and sugar. I eyeball the quantity, but about ⅓ to ½ cup total should do it.)
- 6 to 8 dried juniper berries
- 1 Tbsp whole peppercorns
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 to 3 sprigs of thyme
- 2 to 3 sprigs of sage
- (Feel free to experiment with other herbs such as oregano or rosemary in place of the thyme or sage as well.)
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1.5 cup stock, plus more as needed (use what you have – chicken, pork, or beef will work although each will change the flavor a bit. On this occasion, I used homemade chicken stock.)
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes (certainly feel free to substitute in fresh diced tomatoes as well)
- 2 to 3 carrots, diced
- 1 rib celery, finely diced
- 2 Tbsp Wondra flour
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions:
- (Optional) Dry brine the pork the night before you plan to cook it. Sprinkle brine mixture liberally over the pork and rub into the meat. Sprinkle the juniper berries and peppercorns in with the meat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, scrape off the excess salt, pour out any juices that have collected, and pat the pork dry. Place the pork in a 3.5-quart Dutch oven. (Pans and pots of other sizes will work as well, but may require different amounts of liquid.) Add the wine, onions, thyme, sage, garlic, bay leaves, a couple of juniper berries (these can be retained from the brine), and ground pepper into the pot with the pork. Place in the fridge to marinate for a couple of hours.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Remove the pork from the fridge about 30 minutes to an hour before you intend to cook it.
- Add the stock, tomato paste, tomatoes, carrots, and celery into the pot with the pork and wine. Place the Dutch oven in the oven and cook covered for 2 hours, basting halfway through.
- Mix together 2 tablespoons Wondra flour with ¼ cup water, and mix as per package instructions. Uncover the Dutch oven and feel free to taste the sauce adjust the salt and other seasonings at this point. Mix in the Wondra flour slurry, then return to the pork to the oven and continue to cook for another 2 hours, or until the pork can easily be pulled apart with a fork. Make sure to baste halfway through, and if at any point the liquid gets too low, add a little extra wine, stock, or water.
- Once the pork is super tender, remove the Dutch oven from the oven. A good amount of fat has likely collected on top of the liquid – skim the excess of the top with a spoon or ladle. (Feel free to reserve this for other cooking needs.) Remove the woody sprigs of thyme, bay leaves, and juniper berries. Check the sauce for taste and texture. Adjust the salt and seasonings as needed. If you’d like a looser sauce, feel free to add in a little extra liquid, or if you prefer it to be thicker, continue to cook in the oven or on the stove-top over low to medium-low heat. You can also transfer the pork to a plate to shred, and allow the sauce to simmer and reduce to desired consistency in the meantime. Return the pork to the pot and coat with the sauce when ready to serve.
- Serve shredded pieces of pork on top of polenta, pasta, or beans with the sauce spooned on top.
Notes:
Did you make this recipe?
Check out these other posts related to our Italian road trip:
And here are a few more pics of our time in Montalcino.
*****
- Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla is sharing Piadina Margherita + Bucci Piceno Pongelli 2014.
- Terri of Our Good Life served up Spatchcocked Chicken And Sangiovese.
- Linda of My Full Wine Glass is talking about "A taste of Tuscany to chase away the pandemic blues"
- Susannah of Avvinare is "Exploring Sangiovese di Romagna."
- Robin of Crushed Grape Chronicles is sharing "Sangiovese by another name...like Morellino or Prugnolo Gentile."
- Gwendolyn of Wine Predator is visiting "5 Sangiovese, 4 terroir, 3 producers, 2 regions, 1 country"
- Cindy of Grape Experiences is sharing "Tuscan Wine and Food Classics: Ruffino Chianti Superiore 2017 and Paglia e Fieno (Straw & Hay)"
- Jane of Always Ravenous is tempting us with "Tasting Tuscan Sangiovese Paired with Comforting Pot Roast"
- Katrina of The Corkscrew Concierge is "Exploring Sangiovese - Rosso di Montalcino Paired with a Summer Classic"
- Katarina of Grapevine Adventures is talking about "Tuccanese - A Sangiovese From a Pugliese Perspective"
- Jennifer of Vino Travels says “Montecucco: Tuscany’s Hidden Gem featuring ColleMassari”
- Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm thinks "A Sangiovese by any other name is still a Dang Good Wine"
The Oxford Companion to Wine via JancisRobinson.com
Guildsomm.com
ItalyAbroad.com
VisitTuscany.com
DiscoverTuscany.com
Native Wine Grapes of Italy by Ian D'Agata
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