A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME

During a recent visit to Tenuta Crocedimezzo, a family winery, we made another incredible (aren’t they all?) discovery. After sampling their Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino and Crociato Nero wines, we were served a very, very unique grappa…Rosolio.

Rosolio is distilled from the grape mash. After the grapes are pressed to produce the musk (grape juice) that’s used to make the Brunello wine, the mash is distilled into grappa. Most grappas are either crystal clear or slightly yellow. Rosolio, on the other hand, looks and tastes very different. It is flavored with the petals of locally grown red roses resulting in a transparent light pink color. Some may find the rose aroma and flavor a little off-putting; I found it captivating. According to the winery’s owners, Barbara and Roberto Nannetti, Rosolio was a popular digestivo (after-dinner drink) in the early 1900s and has regained its popularity among grappa fans.

Apparently roses and vineyards have an interesting relationship that dates back to ancient times. I was told that roses are planted at the end of the rows of grape vines for two reasons. The roses will react to soil and air-borne blights before they appear on the vines - giving the grower an opportunity to take corrective action before the vines and fruit are damaged. The growers also plant different color roses to indicate where the rows of different grape varieties start and stop…a simple color coding system for the grape pickers to follow.

So here I sit, sipping a dram of Rosolio, looking up at the Monti Cimini…life is good.