Uva di Troia, which roughly translates to “grape of Troy,” is rumored to take its namesake from the historic civilization. Greek hero, Diomedes, founded the town of Troia within the Puglia region following his destruction of ancient Troy and the rest is history, until you get to Romulus and Remus that is. This varietal, indigenous to the food-driven culture and its seascape of farmland abutting limestone cliffs and sandy beaches that has historically seen invaders from every creed, offers a truly unique treat. Although it is reminiscent of the lush richness and texture of a Châteauneuf-du-Pape thanks to the similar warm climate, Uva di Troia dances to its own sultry tune, possessing its own distinctive Italian flavor profile.
Crafting this southeastern Italian treasure is winemaker Cristoforo Pastore who has expertly ushered Torre Quarto into the modern era of winemaking. Incredibly quality conscious, Pastore along with grandson of the original owner Cirillo Farrusi, the youngest grandson of the original owner, has implemented strict vineyard practices, which has generated excellent results. Pastore, who farms organically, limits his yields to three clusters per vine, which creates greater concentration of fruit and dramatically elevates the quality of the wine. This particular bottling of Uva di Troia actually hails from the single Pignatella vineyard and is a lovely reflection of the terra rossa soil that blesses the area. The wine is fermented in stainless steel at controlled temperatures and is aged for five months before aging an additional twelve months in French barrique. The wine is fined and filtered before aging a further two months in the bottle.
The 2011 Torre Quarto “Bottacia” Uva di Troia has a opaque dark ruby core that moves to slight orange reflections on the rim, indicating a touch of age. The nose boasts an incredible personality overflowing with ripe, sun-kissed strawberries, cassis and dried black cherries that are sun-drenched without being raisinated, something I dislike. The fruit is layered with dried violets, cocoa nibs, orange peel, white pepper, tomato leaf, dried wild herbs and a touch of baking spice. The lush, full-bodied palate offers structured tannins and confirms the nose with additional layers of sweet black plums, kirsch liqueur, dried wild flowers along with crushed clay and rock. The finish on this succulent wine is loaded with a bounty of fruit that seems to linger forever. This wine is in its sweet spot right now and should be consumed over the next few years. Simply decant for thirty minutes and serve at cellar temperature in Bordeaux stems and let the temperature rise a few degrees in the glass. For a partner with enough richness to waltz with the Uva di Troia,
try this ox cheek pappardelle recipe.
