Rubesco Lungarotti 2019

The Canaiolo grape adds the characteristic of a generous body to this wine, which has its origins in the Sangiovese grape. It gets its name from its ruby colour: Rubesco comes from the Latin "rubescare" which means "reddened". It has a well-judged body, not aggressive, but elegant and well-balanced. The fact that it has been aged in oak and refined in bottles adds a pleasant maturity to the wine, while still preserving it young and pleasing fruitiness. Rubesco is without doubt the most well known of Lungarotti's wines. Contains sulphites. Produced by Lungarotti Società Agricola a.r.l. - Viale Giorgio Lungarotti, 2 - 06089, Torgiano (PG) - Italy.

The producer

The Lungarotti cellars were founded by Giorgio Lungarotti, one of the patriarchs of Italian oenology. In the decades following the Second World War, he transformed an old rural family-run concern, which was already respected in the local area for the quality of its wines, into a highly specialised wine-making business. He made sure that the potential of land and the cellars was exploited to the full by using avant-garde techniques in management of vineyards, selection of the grapes, wine-making, refinement and research. Lungarotti achieved a level of continuity in the production of serious wines which won the company one of the very first D.O.C. and D.O.C.G. classifications in Italy in 1968 and 1990 respectively. The 250 hectares of vineyards mean that wine-making is completely autonomous. Over the years the company has expanded, introducing innovations that derive from the cutting edge of modern research. For the most part, this has happened since Giorgio's daughter, Chiara Lungarotti, a wine-making specialist, joined the company. Maria Grazia, Chiara's mother and an art historian, has opened a Museum of Wine, run by the Lungarotti Foundation, of which she is director.

Best with

This wine is excellent with both well made, everyday meals and elaborate dishes. It is at its best with pasta or risotto, steak, roast or barbecued red and white meats, and, naturally, with cheese. As it has a medium-body, it is also good to use when preparing sauces.

How to serve it

The wine should be served at 16 - 18 degrees centigrade. The best glasses to use are clear, transparent crystal goblets.

How to keep

Although this is not essentially a wine to be aged, it will improve if laid down, but not for more than five to six years. The bottles should be laid horizontally in a cool, dark, humid wine-cellar.