Castello di Izola 2019 Sangiovese Rubicone IGT, Italy
Curated from the best regions, vineyards and vintages, the Fine Wine Collection is meant to celebrate winemaking at its finest. This wine represents our commitment to excellence, to exploration and to you.
Castello di Izola 2019 Sangiovese Rubicone IGT, Italy
Aromas and flavors
Red cherry, cranberry, strawberry, sage, oak, espresso, tobacco
It is well known in the vineyards of Northern Italy that 2019 offered a near-perfect growing season. Our vines bloomed with new life as a warm spring turned the hills from winter’s dormant brown to vibrant green. Our Sangiovese grapes enjoyed a long, temperate summer under clear skies, cooled by breezes from the Adriatic Sea. Come mid-September, we handharvested in the cool night hours, scrupulously selecting only the best clusters for our wine.
Vintage
Tasting notes
Our Sangiovese greets the nose with an aromatic medley of sage, tobacco and ripe strawberry notes. The palate displays red cherry and cranberry flavors on the front of each sip that fades to espresso and oak, leading to a dry, structured finish with integrated tannins and gentle acidity. This wine is an optimal pairing partner to traditional Italian recipes and family meals with flavors that will evolve in the glass as dinner conversation lingers on.
Spotlight
With hopes of capitalizing on an outstanding growing season, we fermented the wine in large concrete tanks to accentuate Sangiovese’s varietal purity and fruit-forward character. Throughout the winemaking process, temperatures and skin contact are carefully monitored to ensure flavors and textures remain in balance before a subtle touch of oak adds depth to a well-rounded wine. Under the cork lives an impeccable year for Rubicone wine, waiting to be enjoyed.
Winemaking
Fermentation in concrete preserves freshness and does not impart flavor. Oak contact adds complexity and flavor while softening tannins.
•
•
Vineyard Harvesting at night preserves acidity and delicate aromas. Hand-harvesting allows for meticulous fruit selection before winery sorting.
Cellar
•
•
Region
Tuscany’s neighbor, Rubicone, is located within Emilia-Romagna and stretches from the sunkissed hills of Bologna to the stunning Adriatic coast. Sangiovese makes up half of the region’s vineyards, thriving in the rocky Apennine foothills, fertile plains and clay soils. This slow-ripening variety takes advantage of a long summer cooled by breezes from the Adriatic Sea. These expressions of Sangiovese are often softer and more fruit forward than their Tuscan counterparts.
Serving instructions Temperature: Room temperature (60–65°F) Decanting time: 30 minutes Glassware: Bordeaux glass Profile Tannin:Sweetness:Acidity:Body: Set the table
Line a baking pan with parchment paper, and place ravioli on the pan. Repeat with remaining dough and chill, then cook ravioli in salted boiling water for 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.
Pesto Blend all ingredients until thick and smooth. Drizzle or toss lightly with pasta. pasta (or purchase fresh pasta sheets)
2 cloves garlic, rough cut ½+ cup olive oil (extra for serving)
1 cup packed fresh basil, leaves only ¼ cup raw walnuts or pine nuts
Fresh pesto
Pasta
Roll one portion of dough at a time through your widest pasta machine setting. Fold in half, pass through again. Dust with flour as needed, and repeat twice more until smooth. Repeat the same process with the remaining dough and set aside.
Ricotta ravioli with basil pesto sauce
½ tsp. salt 2 all-purposeeggs flour to dust
Ingredients Preparation
Filling Mix all ingredients and season to taste. Place one sheet of dough on the counter dusted with flour. Spoon a heaping teaspoon of ricotta filling at 2-inch intervals on half of the sheet, then brush water between the filling. Fold the other half of the dough to cover the filling, and press the dough together between filling mounds. Cut into rows and separate ravioli.
Mix flour and salt, and add eggs until a dough-like consistency. Knead dough until smooth, divide into four equal portions, and wrap each in plastic. Set aside for 30 minutes.
½ cup parmesan, grated
Filling 1 cup ricotta ¼ cup parmesan, grated 1 tbsp. fresh chives, chopped 2 tbsp. flat-leaf parsley, chopped sea salt and ground pepper to taste
1+ cup pasta flour
Ingredients Preparation
½ bunch basil leaves, chopped
½ cup dried provolone, shredded ½ cup flat-leaf parsley
Heat butter in a dutch oven over high heat, add steak roll, and brown for 3 minutes on all sides and ends. Remove steak roll and set aside.
1 tsp red chili flakes basil leaves for garnish, rough cut Il soffritto
3-4 cloves garlic, minced salt and pepper to taste
Add il soffritto to pan until caramelized. Add white wine, loosen browning from pan, and reduce until wine is absorbed. Add tomatoes, bay leaves, oregano, and chili flakes to the pan and stir. Place the beef roll in the pot, cover, and bake for 30 minutes. Turn beef roll and bake an additional 30 minutes or until beef is tender.
Italian beef braciole
1 tbsp. fresh oregano, minced
1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine the first eight ingredients. Set aside.
1 cup dry white wine
Optional Serve with tagliatelle, bucatini or orecchiette pasta.
1 cup onion, diced 1 cup carrot, diced ½ cup celery, diced
2 tbsp. olive oil
2½ cups il soffritto
28 oz. can crushed tomato dried bay leaves
½ cup Italian-style bread crumbs
1 lb. flank or skirt steak
Cover a cutting board with parchment paper. Place steak on parchment paper, and cover with a second sheet of parchment paper. Using a mallet or rolling pin, flatten the steak to ¼-inch thickness. Distribute the mixture evenly across the steak. Roll meat into a log. Tie with twine every 2 inches.
firstleaf.wine/rate
