Strictly Speaking

a wine post

A friend of mine works at a wine shop in Chelsea called “Appellation” which carries mostly organic and biodynamic wine.  Because I’m frequently in the area, I often drop in to see her and pick up a bottle.  I end up getting whatever she recommends because I trust her taste, and it gets me to try things I might not otherwise.  A few days ago she told me she wanted me to try something which it turns out I’ve never had before: sparkling red wine!  It’s called Solo Reggiano and it’s from the Medici Ermete winery in Italy.  Apparently the winemaker himself is from that Medici family, and had been in the shop earlier to show them his stuff.  I asked if he had been wearing a codpiece and tights — sadly he hadn’t.  But the wine was nice, strange, but fun to try.  She told me to chill it and serve it with anything.  We had it with a broccoli rabe orecchiette dish, but I could imagine it with a wide variety of things, actually.