Just on Wine Advocate........

If you are in the Chianti Classico area, these are the 2 names you have to remember when you are near the town of Panzano: Dario Cecchini (the world most famous butcher) and Fontodi......

Solociccia
August 2009
Antonio Galloni

Solociccia is the brainchild of Panzano’s famous rock-star butcher Dario Cecchini, who seems to be everywhere in this small, hillside town. Panzano is technically part of the commune of Greve, in Tuscany’s Chianti Classico, but it is such a unique microclimate that it really deserves to be recognized for its own special qualities. This gorgeous, scenic village is home to some of Italy’s most celebrated producers, including Fontodi, Castello di Rampolla and La Massa.

Cecchini’s butcher shop is one of the best-known in all of Italy, drawing visitors from around the world. His Florentine steaks, available only through advance reservation, are the stuff of legend. Just across the street, Cecchini runs Solociccia, an informal eatery that features a wide assortment of local dishes (Cecchini also runs a more upscale restaurant right around the corner). Solociccia offers two seatings at dinner; 7pm and 9pm, at communal tables. Reservations are essential. The prix-fixe menu will delight carnivores for its breadth, but Solociccia is not a place for those who don’t like red meat, as there are no choices to be made. Instead, diners will be greeted with a seemingly endless array of local specialties served family-style. Incredibly, the dinner costs just 30 euros per person (all inclusive), which makes it one of the very best deals in Italy. Guests can drink the house wine (which is more than respectable) or bring their own at no extra charge. Given the dismal storage conditions in Panzano’s wine shops, I suggest purchasing a few bottles at any one of the local wineries that sell directly to the public.

Absolutely everything was divine; in fact I had seconds of many of the dishes! The purity and simplicity of the cuisine was remarkable. I brought along a bottle of Fontodi’s 2006 Flaccianello, which other than being, oh, about ten years too young, was extraordinary for its sumptuous, radiant fruit. This delicious dinner was a fitting end to a wonderful week in Tuscany.

Solociccia, Via XX Luglio, 11 Panzano in Chianti Firenze tel.+39 055 852727

Food:

Course 1 – Spicy meat ragu on toast
Course 2 – Batter-fried meats and vegetables
Course 3 – Sautéed marinated beef
Course 4 – Fresh raw garden vegetables
Course 5 – Homemade focaccia
Course 6 – Bread from Panzano
Course 7 – Garbanzo and white beans
Course 8 – Roasted beef
Course 9 – Boiled beef and vegetable salad
Course 10 – Braised beef
Course 11 – Olive oil cake

2006	Fontodi Flaccianello 96 Wine Advocate # 184 Aug 2009 Antonio Galloni 96 Drink: 2016 - 2026 $81-$313 (110) The 2006 Flaccianello della Pieve (Sangiovese) is just as phenomenal as it was when I tasted it from barrel. This spectacularly ripe and concentrated wine reveals masses of dark cherries, plums, licorice, smoke, violets, French oak and minerals that coat the palate with extraordinary richness. The winepossesses plenty of structure, but the sheer density of the fruit provides stunning balance. The 2006 Flaccianello is one of the more primary wines of the vintage, and it will require considerable patience. Flaccianello continues to prove that Panzano’s Conca d’Oro is one of the most privileged spots for Sangiovese in Tuscany. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2026. My visit to Fontodi last year was fascinating, as I spent several hours with proprietor Giovanni Manetti and oenologist Franco Bernabei tasting through multiple barrels of all of the estate’s wines. Importer: Vinifera Imports, Ronkonkoma, NY; tel. (631) 467-5907