Bastianich Vespa Rosso 2011 is a fantastic example of when tradition meets the modern world in many ways than one. And if the name Bastianich sounds familiar, you’re right.
Have you ever seeing Lydia Bastianich’s cooking shows or dined at Bastianich family restaurants in New York City and few other cities around the country? Yes, that Bastianich.
Bastianich Winery
The deep connection of The Bastianich Family stretches back decades and generations from early relationships with the extraordinary winemaking families in the 1970s and 1980s to the promotion of the finest Friuli wines in their restaurants.
In 1997, realizing a dream to create great wines, Bastianich acquired vineyards in the Friuli region (short for Friuli-Venezia-Giulia) in Northern Italy.
The original vineyard is in Buttrio and Premariacco communes, some of Friuli Colli Orientali DOC’s best sites. These terraced vineyards were re-planted and re-terraced in 2000-2002. They are the source of grapes of Vespa Bianco, Calabrone wines, and Vespa Rosso.
Historically it’s white grapes area and a source of so-called “super-whites” or some of the best Italian white wines and Prosecco. It’s also a place where astute wine lovers can find some hidden jams – red wines like the 2011 Vespa Rosso.
Grapes and Terroir of Vespa Rosso
Bastianich Vespa Rosso 2011 is a rare blend based on Merlot and Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso. Probably, you are familiar with Merlot, but prepare to be surprised by its Northern Italy expression.
Merlot was introduced in Friuli in the second half of the 19th century and adapted well to local soils and climate. Today it’s the second most planted grape varietal, and Friuli is a major Merlot’s production area in Italy.
Friuli is a cool-climate region, and red grapes need the sunniest and warmest sites to ripen. Even at full ripeness, local Merlot retains refreshing acidity, and you won’t mistake it for Californian “fruit-bombs” wines.
While production is dominated by fruit-forward, easy-drinking Merlot, some winemakers produce rich, dense, and age-worthy wines often blended with Cabernet Franc.
What makes Vespa Rosso unique is the blend with Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso – the ancient grape variety. The name dal peduncolo rosso stands for “from the red stem,” referring to the stalk that becomes red when grapes are ripe. Refosco complements fruity Merlot by adding structure to the blend, thanks to its high acidity and tannin.
In the Bottle of Bastianich Vespa Rosso 2011
The grapes for Vespa Rosso were hand-harvested from the hills of Buttrio, Premariacco, Cividale, and Prepotto in the Colli Orientali area. The grapes are sorted at the winery and fermented in stainless steel tanks for 15-18 days. The ready wine is aged in 30% new and 70% used French oak barriques for 18 months. Wine is fermented and aged separately by grape variety and vineyard source. Finally, the wines blended and bottled, and aged for another 12-18 months before release.
That’s pretty strict and along with the guidelines of some of the best wines in the world.
In the Glass of Bastianich Vespa Rosso 2011
Bastianich Vespa Rosso 2011 was a highly aromatic wine with scents of raspberry and blackberry, hot chocolate and cocoa, sweet tobacco and olives, leather, and smoke.
The flavors were equally impressive with raspberry, Cornelian cherry, prune, and black oolong tea with milk. Yes! That crazy delicious!
Pairing Vespa Rosso with Food
Vespa Rosso will make your taste buds sing if you pair it with fillet mignon, duck, goose, or pappardelle pasta with wild boar. The fruit in Vespa highlights savory flavors of meat, and acidity cuts through the fattiness and refreshes your palate after each bite.
Finish
True to its cool region origin, Bastianich Vespa Rosso 2011 impressed us with its intense aromas, sophisticated flavors, well-balanced acidity, and soft tannin. It showed off both the fruity nature of the grapes and the complexity that comes with age.
We think Bastianich Vespa Rosso is tasting beautiful now and possibly at its peak. The fruitiness indicates that it can age even for a few more years, if not longer.
What are your thoughts on Northern Italy reds if you had them? Any recommendations?
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