Cascina Feipu dei Massaretti
Cascina Feipu dei Massaretti, Liguria, Italy, Rossesse, 2024
This might be the best Rossesse I have ever had. Rossesse is the primary red grape that is grown in the north west area of Italy called Liguria. The most famous part of Liguria is the Cinque Terre, a steeply terraced seaside area overlooking the sparkling sea– this area is famous for white wine made from grapes like Pigato and vermentino. But Masseretti is located in Albenga, a little removed from the coast with good elevation, they make a killer Pigato but when I tasted this light red it blew my mind. Rossesse is thought to have been brought to Liguria from France and honestly tiny amounts of it are planted worldwide. But for Ligurian reds it definitely takes the cake. It’s a light bodied, aromatic grape that has established acidity and strawberry energy throughout. Rossesse is really a sponge for Terroir, so it can range in flavor profiles depending on where it was planted. Sometimes I really think it falls short: it's too acidic. But this is a masterpiece of luscious, poppin, tasty and dynamic red wine. Started in the 60s with a passion for hand harvesting and thoughtful farming, this estate is such a cool emblem of Liguria.
Serving temp: You could chill this down in the fridge, should be at least 65 degrees!
Pairing: A dreamy pesto dinner al fresco!