Collecapretta
When someone I know shares a wine with me I sometimes remember to ask how they first encountered it or who shared it with them. Because I think it can be the case that one’s affection for a wine is shared with affection for a person or place. Maybe it is the winemaker themselves, a bar, a friend, or a time in one’s life. As these wines often represent small projects, small groups of people, and it can be important to know the lineage of how something got into your hands.
Anyway, the wines of Collecapretta were shown to me by Mac. Who helped me organize a whole evening for them at Cellar Door. That night a lot of people commented that they probably wouldn’t have picked this up off the shelf, mostly because of the label, with its block of writing in Italian, but they were glad they were there and that they had that first encounter.
Mac first had the wines in Boston, either at the Wine Bottega where he used to work, probably at a tasting or from another shop. The importer, Matt Mollo of Selectionaturel is based in Boston and used to be Mac’s boss at the Wine Bottega. Matt was the first importer of the wines at all, bringing them out of Umbria to the States.
While that connection, with however many degrees of separation, is able to summon a closeness to their winery even from Chicago; it works also because the wine feels very singular. Wines described singular would achieve that designation because of how clearly a bottle of the wine communicates ideas about the makers themselves. However unlike many wines that fit this idea for me, they don’t bend the mind about what wine can be at the boundaries of thought but dig deep into what is familiar, showing more than what one realized was possible.
This could be because of the deep roots of Collecapretta, the winery is operated by the Mattioli family who has resided there since the 1100’s. They grow grain and olives (from which they make the best oil) in addition to their vines of varieties of their region like Trebbiano Spoletino, Ciliegiolo and Sagrantino. This iteration of their winemaking taken up by Vittorio Mattioli, however, is comparatively new and not labeled to leave the property until the late 90s. Now, with more international recognition and age, Vittorio is semi-retired. His daughter Annalisa leads the project of the vines and winery. Though when we visited in August of this year (just before harvest), it was the matriarch Anna that showed us around. We went with our friend Marco, who is from Umbria and has been visiting since he was in his teens.
Anna showed us the new wines, mostly all in bottle at this point, as well as a scrapbook of writing about the winery. But our visit was mostly about relaxing and catching up, good for us because it was incredibly hot at the time. Their family is growing, Anna is now a grandmother and has a relaxed air about her as we chat. At one point Anna asks if we are hungry and Marco mentions the heat has gotten to him so he hadn’t really eaten that day. Anna pretended to hit Marco upside the head before disappearing to prepare a platter of cured pork and cheeses, I had just had a big lunch but cannot resist some sausages with their white wines. We also got to try the 2020 olive oil from the tank over the Italian classic, unseasoned bread. This is the winery: small and family oriented. Mac’s stories of harvest in 2016 are of comparatively relaxed days, a small crew comprised of the Mattiolis and friends, jokes, and big lunches in the middle of the work day.
Pork
A real treat is to open a bottle of wine from Collecapretta while you are cooking dinner to have a little glass and then finish it with your dish. The wines are so gourmand I do think they demand food, but actually the smell of your dinner in progress is enough of a preview to make a luxurious pairing. And obviously the tastes as you go to make sure you’re on course. I first realized this I think while making gricia, again there is magic in the cured pork.
While the pasta was the inspiration I’ve been relying on roasted pork shoulder for when I am to make something presentable for people. It acts as sort of a blank canvas so it’s easy to build a meal around and there is no shame in repeating the dish. I like to make sauces to go on top, like these two from Rachel Roddy: parsley pesto and tonnato. Or another Italian salsa like Salmoriglio or Salsa di Dragoncello. The long cook time puts you in the kitchen a bit early and if you have the time to stay in there you can make a couple sauces to accompany. You don’t need me to tell you it’s fun to serve a big piece of meat for the crowd you might find yourself cooking for this month, but maybe you needed this to let you know that a bottle of Buscaia or Terra dei Preti brings this dish home. Perfect for the whole (chosen) family.
Roast pork, serves 4 to 6
If you have the foresight you can season the pork shoulder the night before.
4 lb Pork shoulder
Salt
Herbs, maybe
Preheat oven to 350
Season the pork shoulder all over if you haven’t already and place it on a baking sheet over the herbs if using. Fatty side up.
Put it in the oven for 4 hours
Rest before cutting thick slices to serve
More new wines tomorrow (Les Lunes, Octavin, Jean-Yves Peron), we will also be at Tusk this Sunday December 19th from 3-8 PM with a mini bar and bottles to go inspired by glow to complement Mary Eleanor's selection of candlesticks and candlestick holders.
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