Wednesday, 11 November
š° San Martino
āA San Martino ogni mosto diventa vino.ā
On Saint Martin's Day, every must becomes wine.
In Italy, 11 November is the feast of Saint Martin, and in the countryside it has always meant one thing: the new wine is ready. The harvest is over, the must has finished fermenting, and families open the first bottle of the year next to a pan of roasted chestnuts. In Tuscany, where I grew up, we call this evening simply castagne e vino.
Who was Saint Martin?
Martin was a Roman soldier of the 4th century who, as the story goes, cut his cloak in two with his sword to share it with a freezing beggar. That night the cold broke and the sun came out. This is why a few warm, sunny days in early November are still called l'estate di San Martino, Saint Martin's summer, the Italian version of an Indian summer.
Martin later became bishop of Tours, in France, and one of the most loved saints in Europe. Because his feast falls right after the harvest, he became the patron of winemakers and of the new wine.
Chestnuts and new wine
Chestnuts were for centuries the ābread of the mountainsā in the Apennines and the Alps, and November is their season. Roasted in a pan with holes over the fire, they are sweet, smoky and a little dry: exactly what calls for a young, fruity, easy red. In the past it was the wine just drawn from the barrel; today in Italy it is often a vino novello, which by law can only go on sale from 30 October.
If you do not have a novello, choose a red that is light, fresh and low in tannin, or a sparkling red. Heavy, oaky wines fight with the dry, floury chestnut.
Four bottles for the evening
 Lambrusco Reggiano Secco āConcertoā 2022 Bio ā Medici Ermete Dry, sparkling and fruity. The closest thing to the wine of the farmhouse. ā¬13.30 |
 Alto Adige Schiava āKolbenhoferā 2022 ā HofstƤtter Light, soft and cherry-scented. In South Tyrol it is the wine of chestnut season. ā¬13.40 |
 Sannio Piedirosso 2021 ā Mustilli From Campania, land of chestnut woods. Red berries, a little spice, gentle tannins. ā¬16.20 |
 Grappa di Moscato āFriuldoroā ā Ciemme Liquori To close the evening: a small glass, aromatic and smooth. ā¬9.10 |
How to roast chestnuts at home
Cut a cross or a line in the flat side of each chestnut and soak them in water for 30 minutes. Dry them and roast in a chestnut pan over a gas flame for about 20 minutes, shaking often, or in the oven at 220 Ā°C for 25ā30 minutes. Wrap them in a cloth for 5 minutes: the steam makes them easy to peel. Serve warm, with the wine slightly cool (Schiava and Piedirosso at 14ā16 Ā°C, Lambrusco at 10ā12 Ā°C).
Bulgaria also celebrates this week: on 8 November, ŠŃŃ Š°Š½Š³ŠµŠ»Š¾Š²Š“ŠµŠ½, many Mihails and Gavrils have their name day. A bottle of Italian red and a bag of chestnuts make a simple, warm gift.
ā10% on our cellar until 16 November
Use code NOEMVRI10 on the wines and liqueurs of the WineTime Selection, including all four bottles above.
We sell alcohol only to people over 18. Enjoy responsibly.