Once upon a time, we were obliged to celebrate special occasions cloistered away from friends and families, restricted to our homes and gardens. On the Easter Sunday of 2020, my husband and I savoured a bottle of powder pink Aqua di Venus rosé, Ruffino’s brave release at the height of the pandemic, raising a glass to neighbours on adjoining terraces in our hometown of Pontassieve, where Ruffino is headquartered. Comrades on balconies is how I defined this moment of joy, of vivere di gusto, a life centred on flavour that can be experienced in Italy alone. Now, in April 2022, Ruffino has added a bottle of bubbles to the Aqua di Venus product line: Aqua di Venus Cuvée.
Maremma, Tuscany at its wildest,
where the vines breathe in salt and light.
Its tune is a free harmony
Time savoured together
The upbeat atmosphere
The lively breeze of a contented soul
Its beach welcomes a vibrant sea
The warm sand at sunset
The charm of a new discovery
The delight of close friends
Its night marks the start of the magical sky
Looking up at the infinite light
The bonfire dancing in the moonlight
The excitement of happy times
Venus with her long locks entwining sea and land, sky and fire.
The seduction of Syrah.
The elegance of Sangiovese.
The smoothness of Chardonnay.
The weightless wonder of the bubbles.
Its Arabesque-style spring.
Aqua di Venus Cuvée.
Sips of beauty.
Ruffino.
I was fortunate to taste the new Aqua di Venus Cuvée at Ruffino’s Le Tre Rane restaurant at the Poggio Casciano estate, 20 minutes from Florence, just after its release. The softly scented sparkling wine proved the right pairing with the Grigio del Casentino prosciutto and the chef’s pickled seasonal vegetables. Superb as an aperitif or throughout a meal, perhaps also a match with fish or poultry, the ripened fruit aromas recall wild strawberries, crisp apples and rosebuds, like a stroll in a country garden. The generous effervescence and saline sensations quickly yield to the expressive power of the red grapes—Syrah and Sangiovese—with the elegance of the Chardonnay on the finish.
The decision not to add sugar to this spumante, making it a pas dosé, is based on the end goal of maintaining the aromas and character traits of the grapes exclusively grown in limestone-rich parts of Tuscany. The enduring and elegant bubbles in a shade of pink between powder and onion skin are released from the uniquely ribbed Aqua di Venus bottle, which was crafted by master glassmakers especially for Ruffino and is an essential part of this product line.
Every sip is a memory of the goddess’s shell emerging from the sea, transporting you immediately to Botticelli, the Uffizi and Florence, wherever you are in the world. This spring, you can enjoy this beguiling wine with the ones you love, while still raising a glass to your neighbours.
Le Tre Rane Ruffino
Via di Poggio al Mandorlo 1
50012 Bagno a Ripoli (Florence)
Reservations: +39 378 3050220 / letrerane@ruffino.it
