VARIETAL - GRIGNOLINO
This wine is an extraordinary example of the historic indigenous grape Grignolino. The grape is common around Piedmont region yet is elusive beyond Italy. Grignolino is a favorite of sommeliers around the world because of its rich tannins, high acidity, and strikingly beautiful & unique color. Grignolino derives from "grignolé", which means ‘seeds’ or ‘pips.’ This is because the variety has four seeds instead of the typical two. Crotin is a family ran winery managed by Daniella Crotin & her three sons. The winery has been certified organic for several years and only practices the cleanest farming. Place this red in the fridge for 30 minutes prior to drinking and watch the flavors explode!
NERDY NOTE:
Grignolino is a challenging grape to vinify because this fragile, dusty, dark-skinned grape is full of pips. (This is because the variety has four seeds instead of the typical two.) This grape variety demands sunny hillsides in order for the grapes to ripen evenly, as well as dry, sandy soil. The grapes need to be very softly pressed so the bitter seeds do not break and result in astringent/green flavors in the wine.
FUN FACT:
Piedmont is in the North of Italy, at the foot of the Alps. In fact, “foot of the mountain” is the English translation of the word “Piedmont.”
PRODUCER: Crotin 1897
REGION: Piedmont(D'Asti), Italy
SMELL: red berries, violets, strawberry jam, roses, a little spice
TASTE: red fruit, minerality, mouth-watering
BODY: light to medium bodied
TANNIN: medium
ACIDITY: high
OTHER ALIAS: Only Grignolino
DECANT: No, chill for 30 minutes
CELLAR: drink now, can age 5-10 years
IF YOU LIKE THIS..TRY THIS! Pinot Noir, Gamay, St Laurent
WHERE IT GROWS: Rarely found outside the Asti Province of Piedmont (Heitz Wine Cellars grows a limited amount in their Napa Valley vineyard)
This wine is meant to drink fresh and young. Grignolino can very well be enjoyed with flavors and elements that themselves have some tartness in them.
Olives, herbs, some spices and feta cheese, paired with spaghetti with tomatoes or even a mild pizza served with olives and herbs dressed on it is an ideal match with this wine.
RECIPE:
Get to know the crotin family
The name Crotin 1897 refers to all the years Daniela’s land has been in her family. She met her Calabrian husband in veterinary school--they both practice natural medicine for animals--and their three boys grew up in Calabria, by the sea. Going back home to make organic wine from the native grapes of Piemonte has been a family affair. Now grown, the three Russo brothers, Federico, Marcello and Corrado, work together, managing the vineyards, the cellar, and the B&B in their charming family home. Besides touring the small cantina, visitors to the estate can walk through Daniela’s large vegetable garden, meet Federico’s award-winning hunting dogs, and observe the neighbor’s small flock of sheep ambling home in the waning daylight.
Tucked away in the rolling Monferrato hills, near the village of Maretto, Crotin is a testament to the Asti region’s rustic mix of vineyards, forests and farms. “Rustic” isn’t the right word for Crotin’s wines, however, not with winemaking of such consistent high quality that the monovarietal bottles sing with varietal typicity. The family’s devotion to the indigenous varieties of the region is clear, as new projects work to rescue grapes that have nearly died out. They are also the only bottler of a 100% Bussanello, a delicious 1930's crossing that Federico discovered in enology school. Each vineyard possesses a unique, fascinating geological profile, and each of these honest wines is an exceptional value.
