This weekend’s film and vino pairing is The Good, the Bad and the Ugly with Caparzo Sangiovese.
Sergio Leone, the director of this classic, is the inventor of the “Spaghetti Western”. Roman born, he grew up fascinated by the American Old West. So he set out to make American Westerns, but film them closer to home, in Spain and Italy.
When you think of the Old West, whiskey comes to mind. I don’t reckon they were slangin’ much tasty Italian red in them there saloons. We are about wine and movies here though, so we take our hats off to the Italian legends that gave us this cinematic masterpiece and score.
The Sangiovese grape is pretty legendary in Italy too. Its what Chianti is comprised of, if that tells us anything.
This “Spaghetti Western” was set during the American Civil War. The Tuscan town of Montalcino where Caparzo is produced has seen more than its fair share of bloodshed as well. In fact Sangiovese means “the blood of Jupiter”.
You can’t discuss this film without including another important Italian, Ennio Morricone, who gave us one of the most legendary melodies of all time with the score to this Western.
Let’s watch Clint Eastwood smoothly snap the hats off these cowboys while you crack open this smooth Italian red.
And click here to listen to maybe the most memorable film number of all time by Morricone.
Gratzi Hombres!