# Bindella Fossolupaio Rosso di Montepulciano (2022)

- **Producer:** Bindella
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Sangiovese, Syrah
- **Region:** Toscana, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.0%
- **Average price:** €15
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, blackberry, black pepper, liquorice

## About this wine

Tenuta Vallocaia is the passion project of Rudi Bindella, head of a prominent Swiss gastronomic family, who fell in love with a small, rundown estate in Montepulciano's Argiano sub-zone in 1983. What began as a ruin with just 2.5 hectares of vines has blossomed into a flagship estate of 54 hectares, complete with a state-of-the-art gravity-fed cellar completed in 2021. Managed alongside director and winemaker Giovanni Capuano, the estate is dedicated to crafting elegant, terroir-driven Tuscan expressions. Unlike many producers who treat Rosso di Montepulciano as a secondary wine made from leftover grapes, Bindella crafts 'Fossolupaio' as a dedicated, site-specific cuvée from the estate's Fossolupaio and Vallocaia parcels.

## Interesting facts

- The estate was founded in 1983 with just 2.5 hectares of vines and a ruined building, now expanded to a state-of-the-art 54-hectare property.
- Unlike many Rosso di Montepulciano wines, Fossolupaio is aged entirely in stainless steel with zero oak contact to preserve its fresh fruit.
- The wine features a unique blend of 85% Sangiovese and 15% Syrah, adding a touch of dark fruit and black pepper spice to the classic Tuscan profile.

## Food pairing

This medium-to-full-bodied red wine thrives alongside savory, protein-rich dishes. The lively acidity of the Sangiovese cuts beautifully through the fat of pork sausages and rich ragùs, while the firm tannins are softened by the proteins in red meat and aged cheeses. The touch of Syrah provides a peppery complexity that complements roasted herbs like rosemary and thyme.

## Wine making process

The grapes for Fossolupaio are harvested entirely by hand from the estate's sustainably managed vineyards in the Paterno and Argiano sub-zones, which feature silty-clay and sandy-clay soils. Following harvest, fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks at 21–23°C. Maceration on the skins is kept relatively short, lasting 8 to 10 days, to gently extract fresh fruit characters and soft, approachable tannins. To preserve its vibrant primary fruit and crisp terroir expression, the wine is aged for a minimum of 6 months entirely in stainless steel tanks, with zero oak contact, followed by at least 3 months of bottle refinement before release.