Bringing Back Tuscany

“What Grows together, Goes together”

When I took my first introductory Sommelier Certification course, Micheal Jordan, MS ( no relation to the basketball legend) cheerfully proclaimed the mantra, having us repeat the words like a boyscout. I kept these words in mind as I took a 10-day long journey to Italy’s infamous “under the sun” wine country paradise, Tuscany. What I ultimately found was curiously different than any other wine growing region I had ever experienced; The wine was meant to compliment the food, NOT the other way around.

Nestled in the northwestern portion of Central Italy is Tuscany, stretching from the western coast to the Apennines Mountains encompassing Chianti in the north and the hills and foothills of Montalcino and Montepulciano towards the Apennines Mountains. The grape varietal most widely associated with the region is Sangiovese, a warm climate, late ripening grape that retains great acidity and tannin.

During my visit, I focused on wines from Montepulciano and this meant primarily Barolo. My first stop; Poggio Antico. I found these wines to be intensely structured, pungent and rich with secondary and tertiary flavors and aromas of plum, both fresh and dried, mushroom, cedar, cigar, cherry, and leather. While it is customary to receive small morsels of parmesan and breadsticks while wine tasting in Italy, these structured in such a way that tasting them alone can be challenging to appreciate.

Throughout my winery visits Micheal Jordan’s bit of advice kept ringing in my ear, “What grows together, goes together.” Nowhere is this more true than in Montepulciano. The region is known for seasonal forest floor delacacies including porcini mushrooms and white truffles, as well as fresh vine ripened tomatoes, bright and distinctive citrus, juicy grass fed beef and of course, pasta. In Montepulciano, Pici is king, thick spaghetti straw shaped noodles with a hollow center perfect for holding sauce.

My favorite place for Barolo and steak was La Sosta. This restaurant is located in the town of Montalcino and boasts a seasonal menu with fresh and savory dishes, artisan goods such as olive oil and vinegar, and of course wine.

Raw Porcini Mushroom Salad, Freshly Shaved Pecorino, Lemon, Local 2019 Extra Virgin Olive Oil - La Sosta