Wines of the Giro Stage 9

http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/2012/it/tappa.shtml?t=09&lang=en

 

San Giorgio nel Sannio to Fronsinone 

Stage type: Flat Length of the course: 166 KM

Cycling Weekly tells me that:  After a couple of days in the hills, the race turns to flatter country with a relatively short 166km stage from San Giorgio del Sannio to Frosinone.The stage has a slight sting in the tail, with a rise and descent just a couple of kilometres before the finish. Expect to see a couple of late attackers try to spoil the sprinters' party whilst the overall contenders have a 'rest day' in the bunch.

Sure enough a break went out early but by around 50 km left, was down to ~2 minutes with rain ahead at the finishing line. Soon enough it was time to set out for our walk to school, 2 miles for anyone counting, and I switched from Eurosport to the Giro app. And, time for a new Italian word for K: caduta. Plus, $.50 pay my fine for my not so muttered curses as Goss went down in the final corner and took Cavendish and others down with him. Francesco Ventoso went clear to take the win for Movistar.

Stage: Francisco Ventoso

Maglia Rosa: Ryder Hesjedal

GC:  

	Result
1	Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Barracuda	36:02:40
2	Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team	0:00:09
3	Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team	0:00:15
4	Benat Intxausti Elorriaga (Spa) Movistar Team	0:00:35
5	Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale	0:00:40
6	Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale	0:00:45
7	Dario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep	0:00:46
8	Frank Schleck (Lux) RadioShack-Nissan	0:00:48
9	Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale	0:00:52
10	Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling	0:00:53

Wine: 07 "Coenobium Rusticum" Bianco $33.00 at Biondivino 

I'm going to include info here from the importer, but you should really go and read Alder Yarrow's post at Vinography.

From the importer:

History of the Domaine:

Fate can have lovely consequences.  Our fortuitous encounter with the Bea family of Umbria of course led to the unearthing of one of the great domaines of Italy.  But, we have been additionally blessed as we marched together with Giampiero Bea as he made the acquaintance of the Sisters of the Cistercian order living and working at their monastery in Vitorchiano, ninety minutes or so north of Rome in the Lazio district.  Here at this quiet religious outpost eighty women of this religious order work vineyards and orchards and gardens organically.  Under the guidance of Bea, they produce two wines as honest and sympathetic and gracious as they are.

Composition of the Domaine:

The vineyards are planted to a series of four essentially local white grape varieties: Malvasia, Verdicchio, Grechetto and Trebbiano.

The Rusticum is a blend of the same four grapes (Trebbiano, Malvasia, Verdicchio and Grechetto) but, in this instance, the juice is left to ferment on the lees for a period of two weeks or more, extracting all of the flavors, colors and textures of its fruit.  The result is a wine of often deep golden color and penetrating minerality with hints of herbs, particularly anise, and wild flowers.  There are approximately 4000 bottles produced annually of this cuvée, the overwhelming majority of which comes to the USA. 

55% Trebbiano, 15% Verdicchio, 20% Malvasia and 10% Grechetto.

I say:  And we have our second orange wine of the Giro, this one from nuns. A bit more yellow than the La Stoppa, this wine smelled of dried orange, malt, cider and roasted nuts.  In the mouth it is complex and changing, a really gorgeous wine.  Tannin and structure made a friend say that on first taste she might have thought this was a red wine.