Posted By Joel on March 31, 2010

SPORTOLETTI ASSISI ROSSO 2007, DOC
SPORTOLETTI VILLA FIDELIA ROSSO 2005, UMBRIA IGT

Be praised, my Lord, be praised with all your creatures,
especially our brother, Master Sun,
through whom you bring us day and give us light.
He is, Most High, a living sign of you,
so beautifully he shines with splendor bright.

— Canticle of the Creatures, St. Francis of Assisi

Sun and soul: an inspired combination in the area of Assisi in Umbria

Umbrian producer Sportoletti brings us wines that shine with their own expression of sun, soul and Assisi character.

With 20 or so hectares of vineyards among the hills of Spello and Assisi, the Sportoletti family produces four different wines – 2 reds, 2 whites – as well as olive oil. Led by brothers Ernesto and Remo, Sportoletti uses a low yield / high density strategy in the vineyard, along with planting of selected clones. Riccardo Cotarella is consulting oenologist / winemaker.

SPORTOLETTI ASSISI ROSSO 2007, DOC

Sportoletti Assisi Rosso is made from Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet, grown at an altitude of about 400 meters. Soil consistency is sandy with a skeletal component deriving from the weathering of a marine sandstone / rock aspect. Average age of the cordon spur trained vines is about 18 years.

Fermentation is carried out over 10 – 15 days in stainless steel. Malolactic fermentation is 100% completed and the wine is refined in wood over a few months.

Tasting Notes / Impressions:

A medium-dark ruby color, the wine has super-fresh scents of red cherries, red & black berries, herbs, and subtle spice notes. Excellent intensity of fruit on the palate, hints of cocoa and chocolate almond, and an alertness of character that reminds me of the way a top road bicycle handles when you take it through a tight corner at speed. Elegant tannins coax in a soulful, refined finish.

Food pairing suggestions: MEATS: roasted, pan-fried or grilled red meat & poultry; especially try: lamb chops with garlic and herbs; chicken or sausage cooked with sweet red and yellow peppers or fennel; PASTA: served with red sauce - meat or meatless- or with olive oil base, perhaps fusilli with peppers, onions, and sausage; POLENTA: suggesting meat sauce…with rabbit would be especially good as would “pollo cacciatore”.

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SPORTOLETTI VILLA FIDELIA ROSSO 2005, UMBRIA IGT

When Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci won Gold at the 1976 Summer Olympics she made balance look easy.

Sportoletti’s Villa Fidelia Rosso 2005 treats us to a similarly effortless expression of balance.

Villa Fidelia Rosso 2005 is a Bordeaux blend made from massal clone Merlot - propagated from vine owned by Sportoletti for fifty years - and Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc. Production vineyards lie at an altitude of 400m and have a medium consistency sandy type soil.

After 15-20 days maceration on the skins, temperature controlled fermentation, the wine is refined in French oak cask for one year and then in bottle for one additional year.

Tasting Notes / Impressions:

A deep garnet color beneath sexy aromas of dark cherry, raspberry, currant, tobacco, spice and subtle hints of flowers. Elegant and intense on the palate with a silky core of ripe fruit, impressions of menthol, and really well integrated, dusty tannins. Rich, persistent finish. Spectacular balance all the way through.

Food Pairing Suggestions:

MEATS: roasted red meats, suggest roast beef or lamb; PASTA: red sauced pasta dishes, unusually good with a bit a cream added; and especially baked pasta: try rigatoni baked with sausage and ricotta cheese; POLENTA: recommend beef, lamb or veal medallions with rich wine / reduction sauce served over polenta; VEGETARIAN: consider a meatless “Bolognese” pasta dish or ratatouille vegetables over polenta. A touch of cream in either sauce would add richness for an especially nice meatless entrée with this wine; CHEESES: I like this wine with creamier cheeses like Tomme, Ricotta, Mascarpone, Camembert.

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Categories: $ (Under $25), $$ ($25-$50), Umbria, Wine
Tags: Cabernet, Merlot, Sangiovese