Rosé, a product variety that is increasingly turning the heads of even diehard sceptics and is embodied in so many different expressions that it is difficult… not to love!
And so Amai, the Rosé of Susumaniello San Marzano, was born. Drawing on tradition, one understands, starting with the choice of grape, an indigenous variety now in great demand, taking centre stage alongside the three great reds from Puglia. Even choosing the type represents a true retracing of history, reinforcing the idea that we are in a region where rosé has traditionally been produced.
Why Amai?
Amai
la compagnia delle viti di Susumaniello,
m’incantai
al rosa tenue del cielo, riflesso sui suoi grappoli.
I used to love (amai)
the company of those Susumaniello vines,
I was charmed
by the pale pink sky, reflected on its grapes.
A dual reference; firstly to the affective memory of our vinegrowers who accompanied the Susumaniello vines as they grew to their optimum production potential with age. The second, a reference of a more artistic nature and of pure delight, to a poem by Umberto Saba entitled ‘Amai’, in which the author rejects contrived and refined poetry in favour of expressive honesty, purity and clarity of style, values that have inspired San Marzano’s own philosophy.
Amai is a soft pink rosé with a beautiful liveliness that hints at a fresh, multi-faceted bouquet: wild flowers, small red fruits, blood orange, undertones of Mediterranean scrub with light notes of green tea and acacia honey.
The palate is fine and elegant, with an excellent balance between slight warmth and acid/savoury notes Amai is a wine with a certain degree of versatility, it goes well with lightly structured dishes of land-based cuisine as well as with seafood and vegetarian dishes. It also pairs pleasantly with lightly seasoned and savoury cheeses and cured meats as an aperitif. The recommended serving temperature is between 10° and 12°C.
Susumaniello is a red grape variety that has long been widespread in Puglia, a further example of the region’s rich ampelography. Always considered one the varieties that go best with Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera, recently the increasingly frequent processing to achieve purity has given it a new voice, allowing it to express its full potential in terms of acidity, which translates into distinct freshness. The name is linked to its aptitude for producing a great deal when young, to the extent that it becomes ‘loaded down like a mule’; however, as it ages, the plant becomes more sparser in terms of fruit.
And it is precisely this reduction in yield that has led to a reassessment from an oenological point of view, diverting it from its destiny as a blending grape.
The first experiment with pure Susumaniello for San Marzano was Susco, a barrel-aged structured red that since last year completes the parterre of varietals available in the company’s already diverse range of products.