Corti Brothers Newsletter for Fall 2005   Page 3 

Goan Cuisine Tamarind Chutney Sweet sauteed onions, finely chopped dry apricots, gently sweet-hot flavor that is haunting. 450g jar (#1108)

Goan Cuisine Tomato Kasaundi Fresh red and yellow tomatoes, garlic, ginger, roasted mustard seed. Savory bite.  370g jar (#1109)

Goan Cuisine Eggplant Kasaundi Smokey/meaty eggplant, tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, and fenugreek tone.  365g jar (#1110)

Sum is the name of a new Pugliese red wine from the Susmaniello variety, probably unknown even to most Italian wine experts. SUM, in Latin, means “I am,” and in this case “I am Susumaniello.” The 2003 vintage is the first to be produced by Gregory Perrucci’s Accademia dei Racemi, a high quality Pugliese producer who is the first to bottle susumaniello as a varietal wine as far as I know. It is a “vino da tavola” rather than an IGT or DOC wine.

Historically, Susmaniello was never seen vinified on its own. It was always blended with other varieties. SUM comes from a vineyard at Torre Guaceto on Puglia’s Adriatic coastline, south of Ostuni and north of Brindisi.

It is made from the fruit of 40 to 45 year old head pruned vines, and aged for six months in large oak ovals. SUM has a very dark color, with intriguing fresh fruitiness--an almost clove like scent. It does not need any wood interference, just some softening. Very easy to drink, it shows that with careful handling, even what is considered a “minor” variety can make an interesting, flavorful wine. The variety might even do well in California or Australia.

Gregory Perrucci says that the variety takes its name from Sumanus, the Roman god of evening rains and at whose festival, the Sumanalia, this wine would be drunk with cakes, hence its name “su (with) Sumanalia.” This is an interesting etymology given that the variety has other spellings of its name and is also known as somarello nero.

Sum Pugliese Red Wine 2003, vino da tavola, Accademia dei Racemi 750ml (#1111) Out of stock.

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