CORK & CURD Salto, Sangiovese

Aprils Wine Pairing – Salto Sangiovese, Ilauri, chosen by Katherine Dart MW

Chosen to perfectly pair with St Helena. Made by Blake Bowden at St Jude Cheese Dairy.

Price - £13.00 per bottle

Salto Sangiovese, Ilauri

Ilauri’s Salto Sangiovese is from Abruzzo in Central Italy - Terre di Chieti is the geographical designation that covers wine production in the province of Chieti and it was created in 1995 when the IGT category was rolled out across Italy. It is complemented by the more location-specific denomination of Colline Teatine IGT, which focuses just on the hills around Chieti city, the provincial capital.

This wine is a more medium-bodied example of this Sangiovese, with bright cherry fruit and a touch of spice lifted by vibrant acidity and finely textured tannins. The fruit forward palate and lighter body work beautifully with the nutty and earthy character of the cheese, with the freshness of acidity and slight grip from the tannins working in harmony with the creamy texture of St Helena’s paste.

By opting for a red wine this month we can feel the proteins and fats in cheese softening the wine’s tannins and phenolic structure, while the wine’s acidity and bright, red fruit aromas work to reveal and enhance the cheese’s complex notes as it unfolds on the palate.