Villa Picta "Mangiafuoco" Rosato

Organic. 70% Lambrusco Sorbara, 30% Pinot Meunier. This is perhaps vignaiolo Paolo’s most experimental wine, or the least traditional—Pinot Meunier is the interloper; Sorbara the steely frame. These two varieties are vinified separately, as the Pinot grapes are harvested nearly three weeks earlier than the Sorbara; both are pressed in a vertical basket press, but the Meunier is harvested at a point that has nearly-overripe maturity. Élevage in stainless steel, blending after a settling period in steel tanks in winter; fresh juice/must are used for refermentation at bottling in spring to spark bubbles. Pasini says he wanted something a bit more playful or distinct from the bracing, knifelike qualities of his core wines, so this rosato rifermentato was born of an effort to lean into robust fruit while still retaining the hallmark of the cantina. (Side fact: ‘Mangiafuoco’ is the name of the puppetmaster in the original Italian tale of Pinocchio. It has nothing to do with Metallica in this instance.)