Ruchè: A Little Unknown Never Hurt Anyone

Speaking of unique wines from Italy, having just wrote a piece on a dry Brachetto, I find myself drinking a Ruchè from the producer Crivelli. If you’ve never heard of Ruchè, I wouldn’t be surprised, it is one of the lowest production wines in Italy. However, I have to wonder why. As I have tasted the wines of Valle d’Aosta and as they become trendier, I think of how similar this Piedmontese native is to many of the peppery alpine wines of that region. I’ve read of similarities to Nebbiolo, yet I don’t see that in this glass. Instead, I see wild floral aromas and earthy flora contrasting a palate of sweet, intense berry fruit.

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It’s certainly not for everyone but if you credit yourself as an open-minded explorer of Italian varietals, then this is the wine for you. To me, it’s a dive into the culture of the region and an understanding of the people. This wine screams for a plate of risotto or roasted game, anything with mushrooms or a rich plate of polenta.

You certainly don’t find a $22 bottle of wine that’s this interesting in Burgundy or Bordeaux and especially not Napa. I guess that’s one of the reasons I find myself going back to Italy over and over again; originality and value.

Give it a try and you won’t be disappointed.

2010 Crivelli Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato – The nose was alpine-wild with pungent hillside flowers in the shade of yellow, crushed bush honeysuckle berries, chalk dust and notes of black pepper. From the nose, you’d expect the austere, yet on the palate it displayed medium weight with sweet raspberry, kept juicy by vibrant acidity. Then inner floral and lots of pepper notes carrying into the finish, which was long with remnants of ripe berries, pepper and a bit of clinging tannin. While sipping this, my mind wandered to the wines of Valle d'Aosta, with their peppery alpine profile. (89 points) Find it on Wine-searcher! 

Falling For Italy All Over Again

It’s not often that a single wine would move me to stop what I’m doing and write something to share here. Usually it’s a Barolo with some age on it or a rare bottle that was sourced and treated with the upmost care from pulling the cork and meticulously sampling it over the course of a few hours. However, in this case, it’s a wine that was recommended to me by a trusted retailer—a wine that I decided to open on a Wednesday with dinner and put a small amount away to sample again a few days down the road. It’s a wine that only cost $14, and now that I’m sipping it (having been open for three days), I’m left speechless—well, almost.

The nose is stunning and is hard to describe to someone that isn’t sipping it alongside of you. It’s floral and sweet, but not just the usual red floral note; instead, this is a basket of fresh violet flowers that were just picked in the height of spring. It is bursting with spice but feminine and finessed. On the palate, sweet red fruits and earth sweep across the senses like a sheet of silk. It’s not residual sugar. It’s more like the fruit sweetness you find in perfectly-aged Burgundy; soft, inviting, intoxicating and perfectly balanced.

The biggest surprise is that this is a single varietal wine, made from Brachetto… yes, you heard me right, Brachetto. Brachetto is a grape that is better known for sweet sparkling wines that are often associated with strawberries or chocolate and paired with desserts, or just sipped at poolside. It’s usually a good, easy-drinking wine but easily forgettable. This, however, is a Brachetto that was fermented to dryness and I will not forget it for a long time. In fact, I will buy more.

So if you’re looking for something new and off the beaten path, something that you might just fall deeply in love with, give it a try.

The Matteo Correggia
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2010 Matteo Correggia Anthos - The color was ruby red and quite pretty to look at. On the nose, I found masses of floral notes, much like a Lacrima d'Alba with lavender and violets. Further exploration revealed chalk dust and minerals with lemon balm and stems. On the palate, it was at first light in body with young cherry, spice and notes of herbal tea but with time it gained volume and depth as the fruit sweetened and it's presence turned silky.  The finish was pleasant with lingering purple florals, spice and medicinal cherry. (90 points)

I got this bottle from Grapes: The Wine Company, check out their website and join the mailing list. I have no official attachment to them, other than being a very happy customer.