wUst Fine Wine Imports
wines U should try!
Pierini e Brugi
Pierini e Brugi was quite a find! I was in the Maremma region in Tuscany (next to the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea) and stopped at a fun little wine bar in Grosseto and asked the owner to let me have a tasting of local wines that he liked. All were good but one that really made an impression was the Albatreto from Pierini e Brugi.
On the surface, it was a simple wine blending 90 percent Sangiovese and 10 percent Syrah. But the Sangiovese core was delicious and the small amount of Syrah added suggested a talented wine maker who really knew what they doing. As an avid cook, I also started thinking of many food pairings for the wine which you will see listed below.
I am now importing three of the Pierini e Brugi wines as I believe they express the best recommendation for a wine that I can think of - which is that the wine maker is making wines that he would want to drink every night! In a wine world now filled with "designer wines" concocted to get high ratings from the known tasting preferences of "prestigious" wine critics, I'd much rather prefer wines that an individual is making to go well with a wide variety of cuisine in their area. The Pierini e Brugi wines do just that and I hope that you also like them!
The Wines
Expansive vineyard views
Beautiful hilltop vineyards with perfect sun exposure
View towards the Tyrrhenian Sea
Cork tree in the vineyards
The Wines
Albatreto 2013 (OC, NF)
The name is from the presence around the vineyard of blooming woods of strawberry-tree, called "Albatro" in the area and the fruits "Albatrelle". In the maquis, these fleshy and rough berries have a marvelous scarlet red color and represent the typical freshness, youth, and balance of a wine such as "Albatreto".
The 2013 Albatreto is a blend of 90 percent Sangiovese and 10 percent Syrah. This is a perfectly balanced wine across the entire palate with mild aromas of violets, black cherries, and forest floor along with a brilliant ruby red color. The flavor profile seems subtle at first with just notes of blackberry and cassis but each sip then brings many thoughts about lots of perfect food pairings.
My own suggestions include: pork chops, filet mignon, New York steak, beef stew, short ribs, pork shoulder, grilled chicken, jambalaya, grilled or braised tuna, Italian sausage, charcuterie, pizza, roasted potatoes, grilled or stir-fried vegetables, red curries, light pasta, bread soup (acquacotta), and a variety of cheeses including blue, parmesan, and truffle cheeses.
Wine making is in small stainless steel tanks with stirring and pump overs for maximum flavor extraction. Natural malolactic fermentation then follows along with extended bottle aging for enhancing the natural flavors of the wonderful grapes from their hillside vineyards.
Ginepraio 2020 (OC, NF)
The 2020 Ginepraio is a blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Alicante. Aromas include dark cherries, blackberries, boysenberries, menthol, and hints of dark chocolate. Flavors include dark cherries, boysenberries, red peaches, nectarines, and hints of raspberries. There is a medium body but with deep palate persistence, good balance and acidity, and a really long and persistent minerally finish with an interesting accent of dry tannins.
Food pairings would include New York Steak, short ribs, beef stew, rack of lamb , veal chops, veal stew, pork chops, pork tenderloin, pork shoulder, wild boar, grilled sausages, pasta with meat sauce, baked pasta dishes, baked chicken, roast duck and duck confit, cassoulet, shrimp, clams, mussels, seafood risotto and pasta, Asian beef and pork dishes, lamb curries, Mexican beef, pork, and chicken dishes, Mexican dishes with mole sauce, tamales, and rich, creamy, and blue cheeses.
Sugherettaio 2016 (OC, NF)
The name is from that in the vineyards and the farm there are many plants of century cork-tree (sughero means cork in Italian) - which in the maquis represents longevity. With their color, wrinkledness, and the skimming of the bark, there is the idea of maturity, fullness and evolutive development - which are all sensations that we can find in this wine. The 2016 Sugherettaio Riserva is a blend of 60 percent Sangiovese, 20 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20 percent Merlot - essentially similar to a "Super Tuscan" from the prestigious Bolgheri region just 50 miles north of Grosseto.
Aromas include dark cherries, dark plums, blackberries, boysenberries, blueberries, dark chocolate, and hints of strawberries and raspberries. Flavors include dark cherries, blackberries, boysenberries, blueberries, and dark chocolate. There is a medium body but with deep palate persistence, perfect balance and acidity, and a long and elegant medium finish. The core of this wine is one of the purest and most expressive examples of Sangiovese that you may ever taste but the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are equally expressive to create a really hedonistic wine.
Food pairings would include filet mignon, New York Steak, Rib Eye, short ribs, beef stew, veal chops, lamb chops, pork chops and roast pork, grilled chicken, grilled sausages, swordfish, paella, Asian and Mexican beef, pork, and chicken dishes, lamb curries, tamales, Mexican food with mole sauces, tacos, charcuterie, and medium to sharp cheeses.
