Wine and Movie Pairing: The Talented Mr. Bussola
Tu vuò fà l’americano?
Summer is in full swing, and it’s time to dig into some summer movies and exciting wines. Let’s take a look at The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) with a complex and sumptuous Italian red.
Nothing says summer intrigue quite like The Talented Mr. Ripley. The movie is based on a 1955 novel by Patricia Highsmith, which follows con artist Tom Ripley to Italy on assignment from a wealthy American businessman to bring his son back to America to run the family business. The assignment takes a twist when Ripley arrives in Italy and finds himself enamored with young Dickie Greenleaf’s flashy lifestyle and social circles. I won’t spoil the movie plot here, but it’s worth going into a viewing spoiler-free if you haven’t seen the movie already.
Directed by the late Anthony Minghella, The Talented Mr. Ripley is truly a movie that will stand the test of time. The gorgeous shots of sun-drenched Italy and the impeccable costume design tip their hat to iconic mid-century Italian directors like Federico Fellini, establishing a world of touristy fun and reckless abundance for the central characters. Gabriel Yared gracefully combined peak 1950’s jazz sounds and Chet Baker songs with a lush classical soundtrack to create a sonic world that is now intertwined with the movie.
Minghella’s screenplay is riveting from start to finish, giving the five young actors lots of room to play as the mystery unfolds. Matt Damon is chilling as Tom Ripley, gaining everyone’s trust with an easy smile that hides some major secrets. Jude Law earned an Academy Award nomination for his magnetic and manipulative portrayal of Dickie Greenleaf, while Gwyneth Paltrow (fresh off her own Oscar win for Shakespeare In Love) brings out the warmer side to Dickie as his girlfriend, Marge. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Cate Blanchett also offer scene-stealing supporting roles that leave the audience wanting more. All five of the principals are capable of handling the frothy fun of the setting, then turning on a dime and digging into the thriller that unfolds.
There was some major temptation to pair this movie with an Americano cocktail. Like, major temptation. Campari is an unofficial character in the movie, and it is consumed abundantly and often throughout the film. As much as I love a good Americano, I think there’s a wine that captures the breeziness of the location and the weight of the thriller plot - Bussola’s 2018 “Ca’ del Laito” Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore.
The choice for a Valpolicella (a hearty red wine from the Veneto region that usually contains some residual sugar and a considerable amount of alcohol) is both an homage to the chiaroscuro of the screenplay and a specific quote from the source material novel:
“Tonight he [Ripley] was going to have dinner… He was going to have something luscious and expensive to eat – whatever the Grand Hotel’s specialty was, breast of pheasant or petto di pollo, and perhaps cannelloni to begin with, creamy sauce over delicate pasta, and a good valpolicella to sip while he dreamed about his future and planned where he went from here.”
If Ripley is looking for a dark and sumptuous wine to treat himself, he’s in the ballpark with a good Valpolicella, especially one made by Tommasso Bussola. Giuseppe Quintarelli (widely regarded as the label to know in the Veneto) has made a few public statements naming Bussola one of the other great producers in the area. The Bussola estate sits very close to the Quintarelli vineyards, and beyond a reputation for excellent craftsmanship, the two producers share a knack for full bodied, elegant wines at all price points. Winemaker Tommasso Bussola came to wine after a career as a stone cutter, and by the time The Talented Mr. Ripley was being shown in theaters, Bussola had gained a worldwide reputation for intensely perfumed and fruit-driven wines that remain accessible.
The 2018 “Ca’ del Laito” is a traditional Valpolicella Ripasso that tastes more like a baby Amarone. There’s a lot of ripe, even overripe black plum and cherry on the nose, accompanied by just the slightest bit of volatile acidity (a winemaking fault often found in Italian red wines) that acts as a “warning sign”, much like Tom Ripley’s disarming stare that lingers just a second too long. On the palate, the wine is really generous and easy to drink; the ripe fruit notes give way to some delicious chocolate characteristics, and the texture is silky smooth all the way down. You probably won’t notice the 15.5% ABV until you look at the label. This is a wine that packs a punch, but still makes you swoon.
Pairing this wine with food is tricky because of the high alcohol point, but maybe that’s why we especially need food with Valpolicella wines. Purists opting for the Patricia Highsmith version of the meal will enjoy the cannelloni and pheasant breast pairings mentioned in the quote above. In the movie, Marge makes a Sunday roast chicken with artichokes and quartered potatoes that would be a delicious complement to the wine. I also feel like a veal parmigiana would be sturdy enough to work with Bussola’s wine. When you open up this wine and watch the movie, let me know what you pair it with!
Bussola’s 2018 “Ca’ del Laito” Valpolicella Ripasso is available via wine.com or at your local wine store. You can also check WineSearcher.com for details on stockists near you.
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) is available to stream or rent on Hulu, Apple TV, and Prime Video. You can purchase the movie on Blu-Ray or DVD wherever movies are sold.
Further Reading
Vanity Fair takes a deep dive into The Talented Mr. Ripley for the 25th anniversary of the movie’s release. (David Canfield/Vanity Fair)
A look into the family legacy at Bussola Wines, with Tommaso’s sons starting to take on more leadership in the company. (Robert Camuto/Wine Spectator)
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