15 May Please The Palate Wine of the Week: 2021 Braschi Monte Sasso Famoso, Rubicone Famoso IGT

The grape name is Famoso. Despite the name, it is not a famous grape. In fact, it is a forgotten grape that was almost extinct. Luckily, there is a little bit still planted and Braschi winery in the Emilia Romagna area has one of the few plantings. More and more winemakers are rediscovering this grape and it is getting more and more popular. Maybe one day Famoso will be famous. But for now, it is the 2021 Braschi Monte Sasso Famoso, Rubicone Famoso IGT that is the Please The Palate wine of the week.

About Famoso

Famoso, also known as Uva Rambela, is a white grape variety that was rediscovered in Emilia Romagna after years of neglect. In fact, it was thought to be extinct up until the year 2000. Famoso has a historical record dating back to 1473 but it was a victim of the European Phylloxera plight of the 1870s and thought to be lost for over a century. Amazingly, two rows survived and were grown and harvested as just simple indigenous white grapes on the Montalti farm in the mountainous Monte Sasso region of Romagna north of Tuscany. It wasn’t until 2000 when the DNA of the grapes was examined and discovered to be the previously thought-to-be lost Famoso grape.

The Famoso grape produces a pale straw yellow wine and can have green reflections. It has a very intense fruity and floral nose, similar to the Moscato grape. In the past, due to its characteristic scents and aromas, Famoso was often used for the production of table grapes. But today it is the strong aromatic characteristics that is encouraging winemakers to rediscover this grape.

About Braschi

Braschi is a winery located in the Romagna hills  on the eastern side of Emilia Romagna, not far from the seaside. Owners Davide Castagnoli and Vicenzo Vernocchi, who bought the winery from the historic Braschi family 20 years ago, use local varieties and apply low-intervention to their farming and winemaking. Braschi has a rich history that shines a light on native grape varietals such as Sangiovese and Albana, first white DOCG in Italy which produces complex whites, interesting orange wines, and traditional sweet Albana wines. They also have the hidden gem Famoso in their portfolio. What is all the more unique is that Braschi Winery is one of the few wineries whose Famoso planting was cut directly from the original Montalti vines.

Tasting Notes

It is a shame that Famoso is not famous because this is a delicious wine! The nose is vibrant with notes of lemon, lime, and flint. The wine offers sharp acidity and a tart and juicy finish. The wine has an incredible texture and elegant minerality with a lingering fresh finish.

Food Pairing

The Braschi Famoso would be a perfect wine to pair with spaghetti con vongole, aglio e olio pasta, and shrimp and scallop pastas. I enjoyed it with a simple piece of triple cream cheese and I was in heaven.

Where To Purchase

The Braschi Monte Sasso Famoso, Rubicone Famoso IGT retails for $21.99 and is available on the website of importer VeroVino Craft Wines.