Why Mushroom Pizza & Sangiovese Just Make Sense Together
I reminisce on my latest trip to Italy as I fall back into one of my favorite summer routines in Maine.
Montenidoli Chianti Colli Senesi ‘Il Garrulo’ 2023
Varieties: Sangiovese, Canaiuolo, Trebbiano, Malvasia
Region: San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy
Producer: Montenidoli / Elisabetta Fagiuoli
Costs: $25-$35
Missive: Mushroom Pizza & Montenidoli
The time of year is upon us. There is a palpable energy in the air. People have awoken from their winter slumber. The wine choice is shifting from rich, fireside reds to co-ferments and pet-nats. Spring is just now coming into season in Maine, folks. With the way this past winter has gone, I wouldn’t be surprised if we get another snowstorm sometime in May. But I have to rejoice in the nicer weather for now. The change of seasons means local shops and restaurants are opening back up. Therefore, the tradition has returned: Friday night pizza from Chase’s.
Friday night pizza means a weekly opportunity to explore pairing options. Chase’s always does a fantastic cheese pizza, and then they throw in a different special every week. That’s the one you need to focus on. This week, I had the chance to play around with mushrooms, red peppers, and a variety of cheeses. Also, just a quick heads up, the wine choice for Friday night pizza will always be Italian. That narrows it down quickly. From there, it’s a quick pinball process. Mushrooms? Earthy. Handful of cheeses? I will need some acidity to balance those out. We can do Piedmont or Tuscany then: a nice Barbera or a classic Sangiovese. Well, I was just in Tuscany. So, let me use this as a chance to reminisce on one of my favorite producers that I saw. We’re talking Montenidoli tonight.
I have a handful of bottles from Montenidoli in the cellar. Their 2016 Sono Rosso may be one of my favorite wines of all time. If you can grab one of the Triassicos, do that and watch the return grow tenfold. But tonight was a perfect opportunity to open one of their Chianti Colli Senesi ‘Il Garrulo’. This particular wine is a perfect example of why you should love Montenidoli. The ‘Il Garrulo’ bottling is a classic Chianti, meaning that you will find a percentage of white grapes in there. The presence of Trebbiano and Malvasia alongside Sangiovese and Canaiolo yields something unique. You will get the enhanced aromatics and acidity from the white grapes, but the red grapes bring the texture and slight body you are looking for. A wine like this yearns to be with pizza.
Let’s get into the specifics of this wine. This wine beams forward with the freshest red fruit imaginable. It’s like you just plucked a strawberry from its stem, and the thing is still sweating. The wine is ripe and present. In addition to the booming fruit aspect, you get a pretty prominent dried lavender and violet note. I believe that’s the white grapes playing their designated role, in harmony with the Sangiovese and cohorts, of course. The wine ultimately culminates in a very slight bitter note reminiscent of blended Mediterranean herbs. The ‘Il Garrulo’ is lively on the palate, with a beautiful balance of acidity accompanied by a light tannin structure. The acidity definitely guides the way, but there are enough other components to remind you the wine is serious. It drinks pretty easily, so watch out.
Visiting Montenidoli was a surreal experience. There is a path that takes you up a pretty steep hill, culminating in some of their Vernaccia vineyards. Beyond those vineyards lies the famed Triassico vineyard, planted with Sangiovese. If you stand at the ‘Templare’ vineyard and stare out back towards the winery, you get a breathtaking view of San Gimignano. The medieval village provides a stark physical backdrop to the green vineyards and scenery. The health of the vineyards, the land, and the presence of surrounding forests indicate that Montenidoli has a deep respect for its sense of place. It’s not as though Elisabetta and company are clearing out the biodiversity to enhance production to an absurd level. Rather, what Montenidoli chooses to produce and release is special. For example, even though they produce only about 700 magnum bottles of the Triassico each year, it remains one of the world's best wines. Their Sono Rosso is one of the more, if not the most, complex library-style wines from Tuscany that does not come near $100. That’s before you even get into the ‘Il Garrulo’ bottling and their whole lineup of Vernaccia expressions.
Wow, you just never know how these things are going to go. I was intent on discussing pizza, pairings, and general catching up, but this missive has ultimately turned into a love letter to Montenidoli. There’s nothing wrong with that. A part of me wished I could discuss my most recent trip to Italy even more. I was able to write a bit while I was over there, but there are so many more topics I could have chosen. Then, upon return, I was intent on getting back into a routine and purging myself of the overindulgence in Italy. Therefore, I abstained from wine for a bit, put my head down, and tried to find my footing. Now, I am back. There is a ritualistic aspect to the wine, among other things, when it comes to a writing night. You think back to all the incredible writers who used wine as a mental lubricant of sorts. Choose a special bottle, put on the headphones, and let the outside world disappear. It’s freeing, exciting, and it provides you with a tunnel to traverse as you graffiti your thoughts on the wall. Consider it a little mental check-in.
Maybe that’s exactly what I needed for now. A quick mental probing. Return to the Tuscan roots, the Sangiovese sauce, in order to climb the mountain as Musashi did. It feels as though I am going up my own Eagle Mountain as of late. While Musashi seeks enlightenment through physical discipline alongside casual sake indulgence, perhaps I will pursue the same. Maybe the constants in life are just related to the idea of balance. In the morning, you push yourself with some sort of extreme physical activity. Have a dog, take a couple of walks throughout the day, then prepare yourself a nice dinner at night with fresh ingredients. Real foods alongside a nice bottle of wine. Perhaps it’s that simple, and I’ve just been overcomplicating it. Tonight, the combination of fresh, high-quality pizza and a clean wine allowed me to return to this idea.
That’s pretty much it for now, folks. I am happy to be returning to a writing schedule and the prospect of opening some fun bottles from the cellar. The summer is the busiest time at the store, and I am lucky enough to have some trips on the radar as well, but I will make the time. It’s important that I maintain these routines to probe the brain regarding wine and life. It’s what the ancients did, it’s what Hemingway did, so at the very least, you could say I am in good company. Cheers to you all, Montenidoli, and pizza pairing nights!
Love Montenidoli wines!
Great combination and the pizza looks phenomenal!