2004 Terralsole Rosso di Montalcino

From the fantastic 2004 vintage in Tuscany, Terralsole's Rosso di Montalcino is really a terrific wine. This winery has become a family favorite over the past couple of years, and that enthusiasm has only grown over the past few months beginning when we met the owner, Mario Bollag at VinItaly. My parents then visited the winery last month, where they were treated to a fantastic tasting and great hospitality.

Back to this wine - the 2004 Rosso di Montalcino could almost pass for a Brunello. It has plenty of fruit and complexity, but is more forward than a young Brunello would be. I had this wine with a veal chop one night, and with spaghetti another, and it went wonderfully with both - to me, one of the great virtues of the Rosso di Montalcino is how well it accompanies a good meal. It really is a wine made for drinking with food, and this one from Terralsole is one of the better ones I've had. The wine (along with most all the wines from Italy) is creeping up in price thanks to the weak dollar, but to me is still a great buy at $25 or so.