Wine Down and Chill: To Italy With Love
This article was originally published on March 13, 2020 at https://gritdaily.com/wine-down-and-chill-italy-pinot-noir/
We’re getting good feedback around our current wine down and chill format. And many of you have indicated that you want to learn about wine then get down to drinking it! Got it.
We’ll continue to offer affordable suggestions for music, wine, dinner and movies with a different wine down and chill theme each week. You can also follow me on Instagram for wine art and photography @WineDownAndChill. We’re here to help you sit back, wine down and chill. If you missed an article, fret not! You can find every article here.
Theme: Love Story
Friday the 13th was obviously an option for today’s theme but it’s been, well, done. Like twice last year in September and December. And, around this time last year when the Cathédral Nôtre Dame was burning, we sent our love and amour en homage to France.
But, in the era where people, healthcare workers, hospitals, businesses, tourism, conferences and sporting events are getting Corona’ed left, right and center, sending love around the globe seems like the right thing to do. Io amo l’Italia. Indeed, we all do – we all love Italy.
Listen: Love is in the air
February may be behind us, but love in all forms, from romantic to plutonic to basic human decency love doesn’t need a designated day. Wine down and chill is all about sharing the love – but not the flu – so open your heart and your ears but wash your hands! Twice!
Regarding tunes with “love” in the title, no shortage here on this playlist. Picking a favorite is an impossible task. Crank it up, listen up and put some love up into The Universe.
Learn: Pinot Noir
Here’s a wine down and chill mind-blowing stat. For those of us that tend to gravitate towards Cabernet Sauvignon, and, by now, you all know that I do, Pinot Noir grapes have been cultivated for 1,000 years longer! Despite its early debut in the history of wine-making, it barely scrapes the Global Top 10 for the most planted grapes. Apparently, Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio, and Pinot Blancs are nearly identical genetically with the exception of a few genes that control grape skin color. That means, if you like one, you’ll like them all.
Sorry, Italy, we do love you, but France, the USA, and Germany are the top three producers of this varietal. Pinot Noir grapes are often fermented as whole cluster stems which imparts tannins as well as richer, darker color versus what results from grapes-only fermentation efforts. Although tannins tend to get a bad rap, they do allow wines to age longer. Pinot Noir grapes fermented as whole-clusters are your “cellar favorites” and recommended for 10 years of storage before consumption. It’s Friday, wine down and chill time and I certainly do not have 10 years to wait before I pour myself a glass!
Wine: Sartori Love Story Pinot Noir
Sartori Love Story Pinot Noir by Banfi Wines is produced in the delle Venezie wine region of northeast Italy. The Sartori family has been making wines there since 1898. By the 1950s, the sons expanded the winery, drove international recognition and began shipping their bottles of wine down and chill selections around the world. Today, the great-grandson of the winery’s original founder is at the helm.
The Pinot Noir grapes are soft-pressed instead of forcibly crushed with a mechanical pad under applied pressure. This ensures that the delicate grapes are not stressed during processing thereby maximizing flavor. Next, the grapes are fermented for 15 days then aged in oak for 12 months. The vibrant ruby color of Love Story Pinot Noir, at only $14 per bottle, is as inviting as the black-cherry jammy and chocolate notes and full mouthfeel.
Dine: Italian, of course
I’ve never met anyone that doesn’t like Italian food, and I’ve met tens of thousands of people. Wine down and chill encourages everyone to fire up a pizza, cook up some pasta and pour yourself a glass of wine. With Italian, you can’t go wrong.
Watch: Live Once, Love Twice
Here at wine down and chill invites you to pause, relax and escape from the craziness for a bit. The past few weeks, and months, have put a strain on the world. In the heart-warming love story, Live Once, Love Twice, Emilio (Oscar Martínez) is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. True, not the happiest story line, but the endearing efforts of his family and friends to reunite him with his childhood amour will have you shedding happy tears.
It’s the weekend. Time to wine down and chill. Cheers and ciao, Bella!
Image by Gerhard Gellinger from Pixabay