And now for something completely different...

Imagine this: fill a bowl with luscious fresh wild berries, a nice brambly-tart mixture with a little snap to the flavor; then sprinkle the bowl with a dusting of fresh-cracked black pepper; then go one step further and add a judicious dash of Chinese Five Spice powder. Let it marinate for a little while. You'll have a very close approximation of Ruche' (it's pronounced "ROO-kay").

Or you could simply go out and buy a bottle of Ruche' di Castagnole Monferrato.

What's that, you say? Well, you can be forgiven if you aren't familiar with this grape variety. Although it has been in the Piedmont for over a hundred years, it has only been available for local consumption until very recently. It's now a DOC---but comprised of only a scattered 100 acres, so it's not all that easy to find here in the US.

One you can find, though, if you're lucky, is the 2008 il Cavaliere from Cantine Sant'Agata, located in the village of Scurzolengo in the Asti province of Piedmont, one of a handful of villages where Ruche' is produced.

There has been a surge of interest in Ruche' of late, and these producers have committed themselves to reviving and expanding the production. And it's a good thing, because there is literally nothing quite like Ruche'.

Its refreshing that neither the local farmers nor the academic ampelographers seem to know quite what Ruche' is or where it originated. One theory is that its an indigenous grape that, somehow, was only comsumed locally and never expanded beyond a few historical acres. Another theory proposes Ruche' as a grape that was brought in some years ago, perhaps from France, as an experiment that never really went anywhere.

It's a light to medium-bodied red wine, usually with a hefty dollop of tannin to give it a bit of roughness, but with a decided aroma and flavor of wild berries and black pepper and overt spice.

We served our bottle with a hearty pot of Spanish Brown Lentil Soup with Swiss Chard, Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions accompanied by crusty Sourdough Garlic Bread thoroughly studded with whole cloves of garlic, and it was a lovely match, with the earthiness of the lentils cozying up to the rustic flavors of the Ruche', and the spiciness stepping up to the pungency of the garlic.

The il Cavaliere is the lowest ranked (and priced, at around $16) bottling of Ruche' made by Cantine Sant'Agata, and it is clearly made for the short term; but for what it is, it is delightful, and the spicy element is unique and mouthwatering. I would imagine it would be perfect with some Asian foods too.
Scurzolengo, home to Cantine Sant'Agata, is typical of the lovely and sometimes steep rolling hills of the Asti part of the Piedmont. As you drive through the region you'll traverse beautiful, quiet valleys with clusters of farm buildings and vineyards carpeting the slopes; then you'll arrive at the peak of a ridge, and dip down into yet another scenic valley.
The region is timeless and seems remote, somehow preserved by the vineyards and farms that are scattered throughout the hills, with small villages dotted here and there. Yet this is the home of one of the great wine regions in the world, famous for its Barolo and Barbaresco, Barbera and Dolcetto, the luscious sparkling Asti from the Moscato grape, Arneis, Gavi, and others. Of these, Ruche' is a miniscule part; but it has shown itself worthy of being preserved, and we're fortunate that it's now available here.