Arsenio e Zazà Controvento: The Review Of A Great Natural Wine
The Arsenio e Zaza wine made by Abruzzo Controvento winery is an excellent red to accompany protein-rich dishes or the great barbecue classics. In this splendid natural bottle, you will find light-heartedness, lots of drinkability, juice, and slenderness of the body. The tannins are docile, the fruit ripe but subtle, and acidity is the central theme without ever being overbearing.
It is a sincere wine, not particularly deep, but which can give you comfort when the mouth is attacked by an aggression of fat and lipids or lamb meat’s intense flavor.
Not for nothing, the combo with arrosticini is perfect. It seems born to water these delicious skewers.
How is it produced?
Vineyards overlooking the Adriatic Sea, grown organically. If you don’t know it, go immediately to visit Rocca di San Giovanni to meet Vincenzo Di Meo and his splendid natural wines.
No pesticides or chemicals are used, and the wines are not manipulated with invasive practices. They are not filtered or clarified, and no sulfites are added. More than wines, they are juices of this incredible terroir.
The blend in question is made of Montepulciano and Cabernet Sauvignon.
After the harvest, the grapes macerate and ferment spontaneously in steel, and also the refinement is always in steel.
Organoleptic characteristics
The result is a meaty, full, and juicy wine. The bouquet is sharp, rocky, dominated by a fruit oscillating between oranges and cherries, and then launches into ethereal pungent and aromatic notes with rosemary, eucalyptus, mint, and undergrowth to close. Think of Montepulciano and add a smoky hint, more wood, and a memory of bitter chocolate.
It is turgid with juice on the palate, dense in the gait, but always light-hearted. The tannins give vigor and recall earthy flavors of cinchona but do not bite. Structure and acidity are at the service of drinkability: impeccable cleanliness and great naturalness of flavors. Nothing complicated, but everything is declined with precision, and the wine invites you to drink without many thoughts.
Price
14-16 euros: a calibrated price for a correct and pleasant wine.
Food Pairings
Black truffle risotto, passatelli with Parmigiano fondue and truffle, bucatini all’amatriciana, roast beef, hamburger.