Exploring Wine at Salumeria Rosi

Located at 283 Amsterdam Avenue

There are many great places for a vegetarian in New York City, Salumeria Rosi is not one of those places. Immediately when you walk through the door you are met with a fine display of mortadella, porchetta, prosciutto and other fine meats. This is heaven for a meat lover.

Along with being a very fine salumi shop, this Upper West Side favorite also has a nice restaurant on the side. A nice restaurant, with a nice wine list. Ahh… now we’re talking! In the spirit of Italian Wine Week, it’s time we all take a moment to appreciate the virtues of a fine Tuscan wine. Chianti is probably the most famous region of Tuscany (I blame Hannibal Lecter), but it shouldn’t overshadow Brunello di Montalcino.

The wine I tried at Salumeria Rosi earlier was a 2008 Banfi Rosso di Montalcino. This is 100% Sangiovese from the same region as Brunello di Montalcino, but this wine is only aged six months in oak and just one year before release. This comes in handy for a winery facing a less than ideal vintage.

Sangiovese is the primary grape for red wines in Tuscany. (And it’s a seriously historical wine that likely dates all the way back to the Etruscans in Rome.) This particular wine has a gorgeous ruby-red color with a perfect body. I immediately tasted cherries and raspberries; for an Old World wine it comes off very fruit-forward. It’s going to go with so many dishes on the Menu di Formaggi.

Definitely take advantage of Salumeria Rosi before Italian Wine Week passes by, you won’t regret it!

(Fun Fact: The interior of Salumeria Rosi was created by the famous production designer Dante Ferretti – he was responsible for making Gangs of New York so realistic!)