2016 Fattoria Nicolucci Tre Rocche Sangiovese di Romagna 750 ml

Pasta Bolognese, Prosciutto di Parma, and This Sangiovese

In Italy, no other critical authority comes close to rivaling the influence of Gambero Rosso — the Rome-based Italian food and wine bible. When the yearly reviews land, the wine industry in the Boot screeches to a halt as enologos from Lombardy to Sicily scan the index for their name to see how they size up. So, when Gambero greets a wine with effusive praise year after year, we take notice. Fattoria Nicolucci 'Tre Rocche' Sangiovese di Romagna — a juicy, rich, voluptuous Sangiovese from Emilia-Romagna — is one of its most consistent darlings. Since Gambero Rosso first began profiling the winery in 2012, the guide has praised vintages of “Tre Rocche” to the sky, awarding “Due Bicchieri” (“Two Glasses”) honors practically every year. Sangiovese of this quality — bearing the stamp of approval of Italy’s most prestigious critics — doesn’t come across often. At $19.99 per bottle, do yourself a favor and sock away a case, and thank us later.

If you ask an Italian where the best food is in Italy, the answer you’ll most often get is Emilia-Romagna. From pasta Bolognese to Prosciutto di Parma to Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, the region has produced some of the most celebrated foodstuffs to cross the globe. Another celebrated pleasure that is thought to originate in Emilia-Romagna — albeit highly contested by Tuscan Italians — is the Sangiovese grape.

The Sangiovese “Tre Rocche” comes from clay and limestone vineyards that Alessandro Nicolucci farms organically. The particular clone of Sangiovese planted produces large, oval shaped berries bursting with juicy red fruit. After a short maturation in wooden casks the “Tre Rocche” is bottled early to preserve its tangy, lip-smacking charm. This is a wine to be enjoyed right now and for another 5 years.