Caprese Salad & Montepulciano Rose!!

 

So a month or two ago we brought in our first Italian Rosé... Italo Pietrantonj's Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo.  This is a wine made from 100% Montelpulciano... and if you have ever tasted any of Roberta's Montepulicanos... you know this wine isn't going to suck!!  So last night, my wife and I decided to crack a bottle (being that we had yet to taste this pretty bottle of pink since it has landed in the states).  It was a gorgeous early evening... the sun's heat was beginning to fade... food was underway... and a dry Rosé is the ONLY  way to go under such conditions.  Who wouldn't agree??

 

Skin maceration for 3 days gives this wine a perfect hue, a bright ruby-pink that dances a bit on the dark side (being that it is Montepulciano and distinctively Italian).  Cerasuolo (Chair-ah-swoh-loh) literally means "classic cherry" - and comes as no surprise when diving into the nose of this wine.  Bright aromas of cherries and raspberries are pleasantly accompanied by what I like to call "the Italian funk" - that rich earthy component that smells and tastes of fresh soil, tree bark, underbrush, blah, blah, blah... you know what I'm talking about - Italian wine!!!  The palate is fresh and vibrant and lingers into a great finish of cherry and almond skin.  The acidity is clean, and I deem this wine is a winner!

 

We paired this delcious pink with a traditional Caprese... heirloom tomatoes, fresh Mozzarella, garlic, shallot, balsamic, fantastic olive oil, and plenty of fresh basil!  Let's just say this was a pairing that screamed summertime... and if you are looking for a tasty rosé for your next meal - look no further - find this wine! 

 

Cheers everyone!

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