Text: Eclogues/Bucolica
Author: Publius Vergilius Maro
Date: early 30s BCE
Language: Latin
Notes: Idyllic but not uncomplicated
This is a big one, so we put a lot of thought into what wine could stand up to, let alone complement, the text that launched the career of one of history’s most celebrated poets. Our answer? Two wines. For these 10 poems built on the best of the Hellenistic Greek tradition and a careful field blend of politics, eroticism, landscape, and myth, the Vintellectual team came up with a pair of unusual, beguiling favorites.
Elissa’s pick: a unique bubbly like Idlewild’s 2018 Flora & Fauna Sparkling Wine ($35/bottle)
Like the Bucolica, this wine goes by a second name: the jellyfish. And like its namesake, it is a creature of mutable form: part pet-nat, part cremant, part méthode-champenoise…ultimately, it’s just plain interesting. The varietal is Muscat Canelli, but in this guise it boasts an unexpected depth of flavor and a rich color. On first sip, it is dry, aromatic and exciting. The soft citrus-floral approach of the traditional Idyllic setting is complicated by the earthy rumble of land confiscations and unrequited love. By the end, a subtle note of wet rock evokes the echo of an Arcadian landscape. And the wine leaves you satisfied, but with more questions than answers.
If you can’t get your hands on this exact bottle, go for an upscale pet-nat or a prosecco col fondo for a similar taste of rustic elegance.
molli paulatim flavescet campus arista
incultisque rubens pendebit sentibus uva
et durae quercus sudabunt roscida mella.
“Presently the field will begin to grow gold with wheat, and the blushing grape will hang from wild brambles, and dewy honey will drip from the sturdy oak” (IV.28-30).
Anna’s pick: La Stoppa Trebbiolo (~$20/bottle)
Land confiscations got you down? Fear not, sharing this bottle with a friend will lift your spirits. On paper, this Barbera-Bonarda blend is nothing special. But with a single sip you’ll understand why this is the bottle that prompted Anna to coin the phrase “wine hug.” Like the Eclogues, this is made from the grapes of young vines (Vergil) sprung from ancient terrain (the Hellenistic pastoral tradition). The stainless steel aging and clay soil create an earthy-but-fresh bouquet, bursting with juicy berry and subtle spice on the palate. The myriad fruit flavors and jewel-red coloring hint at rich, golden-age Italic fecundity but find balance against carefully structured medium-plus tannins. This is one for the ages!
O Meliboee, deus nobis haec otia fecit.
namque erit ille mihi semper deus, illius aram
saepe tener nostris ab ovilibus imbuet agnus.
“O Meliboeus, a god brought us this peaceful state. For he will always be a god to me, and a tender lamb from my sheepfold will often stain his altar,” (I.6-8).
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Do you happen to know if Vin Vino has the La Stoppa Trebbiolo?
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