ON THE LIST | Luigi Casanova
Luigi Casanova came to a career in hospitality after 15 years as a professional musician, playing with various artists around the world, often with our former senior somm and buyer Nelson Pari, a childhood friend. After a brief role at London wine bar chain Humble Grape, he was introduced by Nelson to the Club, where he is now a junior sommelier. He tells us of his love for Sangiovese
'Sangiovese is in my blood. I grew up making Sangiovese with my father in the hills around Rimini, in Emilia-Romagna, and one day I will go back there and take over the management of the family vineyard. But for now, working at 67 provides me with the chance to taste some of the best expressions of this fabulous grape variety. There are three that I would particularly recommend…
'Alessandro Mori’s Il Marroneto has helped to raise the standard of how Brunello di Montalcino is perceived around the world. It’s a small estate that makes four wines – two Rossos, a Brunello and the standout Madonna delle Grazie bottling. They follow a steadfastly old-school approach, so new oak is strictly avoided. Instead, ageing in large oak casks preserves Sangiovese’s varietal characteristics. The tannins need some time to soften but patience is rewarded with wines that have sophisticated fruit profiles, real elegance and a brightness that reflects the vineyards’ cooler location north of the town. The 2013 Madonna delle Grazie is stunning.
'Since its foundation in 1971, Riecine di Riecine has been on a mission to bring back the spirit of the historic Chianti Classico. Today, that mission is in the hands of young winemaker Alessandro Campatelli, who crafts the wines with real care; harvested by hand and transferred directly into concrete vats for a long and slow fermentation with ambient yeasts. Riecine benefits from an classic Gaiole terroir, from where the Riecine di Riecine showcases 100% Sangiovese. Try the 2018, which is currently on the London list.
'Emilia Romagna has traditionally been associated with bulk wine and vermouth rather than fine wine, but up in the wooded Apennine hills that separate Romagna from Tuscany are a group of producers trying to change that – and Mutiliana is leading the way. Higher up in the Apennines, the clay soils of the valley floor give way to poor, looser soils of marl and sandstone, resulting in wines with a distinctive, dry, floral rather than fruity character and a fresh salty minerality. It is here that Giorgio Melandri, a former writer for Italian food-and-wine magazine Gambero Rosso, grows the Sangiovese for Mutiliana’s three single-vineyard wines. Only 6,000 bottles of each are produced each year – we’re currently pouring the 2016 Tramazo, which I absolutely love.'
Not a 67 Pall Mall Member? Sign up to receive every issue of The Back Label by filling out your details below.