As a recent graduate of the Kairos School of Astrology, I thought it would be fun to study each Sun sign’s characteristics and pair them with a Yours Truly, Wine. Knowing your zodiac wine is just as important as knowing your Sun sign! According to the stars and my interpretations, these are the best wines for each sign.
ARIES: March 21-April 20 (Spring Equinox)
Symbol: The Ram
Element: Fire
Quality: Cardinal
Ruling Planet: Mars
Lucky Day: Tuesday
Lucky Birthstone: Diamond
Traits: Courageous, creative, open-hearted, a born leader
WINE: MADONNA NERA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO D.O.C.G from TUSCANY
Vintage: 2013
Grape Variety: 100% Sangiovese
Fermentation: Steel tanks
Aging: French oak tonneaux for 30 months. Refined in the bottle for at least 10 months.
Tasting Notes: Full-bodied with big tannins, yet elegant and aromatic at the same. Rich balanced concentration of fruit.
Pairings: Grilled meats. wild boar, pasta with ragu, eggplant parmesan, and mature cheeses.
Interpretation: Aries is the “I am worth it” sign, “me-first”, as they are after all the first sign of the zodiac which symbolizes new beginnings. Mars is the ancient god of war. The planet Mars governs physical energy and encourages you to take action. As the first sign of the astrological wheel I thought Arians would appreciate and enjoy the number one wine of Italy, the King of all varieties, the “I am worth it” wine of all time, Brunello di Montalcino.
TAURUS: April 21-May 20
Symbol: The Bull
Element: Earth
Quality: Fixed
Ruling Planet: Venus
Lucky Day: Friday
Lucky Birthstone: Opal
Traits: Affectionate, patient, stable, determined
WINE: LE SENATE BARBULA MARCHE ROSSO I.G.T from Le Marche
Vintage: 2017
Grape Variety: Merlot 65% Cabernet Sauvignon 35%
Fermentation: Steel tanks
Aging: Small oak barrels for 1 year. Refined in bottle for 6 months.
Tasting Notes: Deep ruby red with subtle purplish highlights. A generous aromatic array of violet-like flowers, cherries, and forest fruits, rounded off by spices. Full-bodied, persistent, soft-textured, balanced, and savory.
Pairings: Red meats, cold cuts, pasta or rice with meat-based sauces, game, and mature cheeses.
Interpretation: Taurus is the sign of property and money, with high regard for the nicer things in life. Venus, the Roman goddess of beauty and culture, also inclines Taurians toward an appreciation for luxury. I paired Taurus with Barbula to surprise this sun sign with a wine that not only has a beautiful color, nose, and palate but is an exceptional value with a very luxurious style.
GEMINI: May 21-June 20
Symbol: The Twins
Element: Air
Quality: Mutable
Ruling Planet: Mercury
Lucky Day: Wednesday
Lucky Birthstone: Emerald
Traits: Lively, energetic, intellectual, very adaptable
WINE: MADREVITE LA BISBETICA ROSE’ I.G.T from Umbria
Vintage: 2019
Grape Variety: Guyot
Fermentation: Stainless Steel
Aging: 4 months in Stainless Steel
Tasting Notes: Bright cherry-colored wine with light floral and fruity raspberry and cherry aromas. Well balanced and way too easy to drink…the will soon become your Rose’ all-day favorite!
Pairings: Risottos, meats, roasts, and baked pasta.
Interpretation: Gemini is the sign of communication. Mercury is the ancient messenger of the gods. The planet Mercury rules communication and travel. Adaptable and lively Gemini will appreciate this Guyot rose’ for its very own adaptability and easy manner. Nothing is too complicated about this delicious, fun, light wine that perfectly represents The Twins sign.
CANCER: June 21-July 22 (Summer Solstice)
Symbol: The Crab
Element: Water
Quality: Cardinal
Ruling Planet: The Moon
Lucky Day: Monday
Lucky Birthstone: Pearl
Traits: Sensitive, imaginative, sympathetic, kind
WINE: VALENTE EMOZIONE No. 1 MONTONICO I.G.T from Abruzzo
Vintage: 2017
Grape Variety: 100% Montonico
Fermentation: Steel tanks
Aging: 3 months in steel tanks. Refined in the bottle for 1 year.
Tasting Notes: Slightly aromatic scent with hints of white berry fruit followed by herbaceous notes. Fresh, dry, balanced acidity with a medium structure.
Pairings: Cheese, truffles, cured meats, shellfish, poultry.
Interpretation: Cancer is the sign of home and family. The Moon, our only satellite, wanes and waxes with a powerful magnetic force. The Moon governs emotions. I choose this pairing because of the “emotional” connection between the name of this wine and the loving emotional aspects of Cancerians. You are a sensitive and kind soul with a heart of gold.
LEO: July 23-August 22
Symbol: The Lion
Element: Fire
Quality: Fixed
Ruling Planet: The Sun
Lucky Day: Sunday
Lucky Birthstone: Ruby
Traits: Enthusiastic, charming, powerful, generous, extravagant
WINE: CENTANNI PASSERINA SPUMANTE METODO CLASSICO D.O.C from Le Marche
Vintage: 2017
Grape Variety: Passerina
Fermentation: Steel tanks
Aging: Aged for 24 months using pupitre, and the lees subsequently are extracted from the tip of the bottle.
Tasting Notes: A fresh nose offers aromas of herbaceous, nutty notes. Upon tasting, there is an excellent freshness with pleasant bubbles. It is sweet yet not too sweet, thanks to the earthy hazelnut tones creating a beautifully balanced finish.
Pairings: The sky is the limit with these bubbles!
Interpretation: Leo is the sign that governs pleasure and creativity. At the center of our solar system, the sun is an intense star that supplies light, heat, and energy. A word often used to describe a Leo is EXUBERANCE. I also use this word to describe Centanni’s Spumante Metodo Classico, full of bubbles and exuberance. Both Leo and Passerina Spumante are regal, solar, and entertaining.
VIRGO: August 23-September 22
Symbol: The Virgin
Element: Earth
Quality: Mutable
Ruling Planet: Mercury
Lucky Day: Wednesday
Lucky Birthstone: Sapphire
Traits: Practical, analytical, industrious, modest
WINE: PODERE ALBIANO TRIBOLO ORCIA RISERVA D.O.C from Tuscany
Vintage: 2012
Grape Variety: 100% Sangiovese
Fermentation: In Slavonian oak casks
Aging: In oak barrels for 30 months. Refined in bottle for 12 months.
Tasting Notes: Ripe cherry with hints of oak and spice on the nose. Smooth tannins with a velvety finish. Well-structured mature wine.
Pairings: Steak, roasted game birds, wild boar, lamb, osso bucco, mushroom dishes, truffles, and tomato pasta sauces.
Interpretation: Virgo is a sign of hard work and self-improvement. Mercury, the ancient god of communication and commerce, enhances Virgo’s practical way of interpreting and understanding all things in life. Mercury, the planet, rules intelligence and reason. Podere Albiano Tribolo Orcia Riserva D.O.C is a match made in the stars for Virgo because it is a well-structured, mature, refined, earthy Sangiovese you can enjoy after a long day pursuing perfection. You will find it in your glass.
LIBRA: September 23-October 22
Symbol: The Scales
Element: Air
Quality: Cardinal
Ruling Planet: Venus
Lucky Day: Friday
Lucky Birthstone: Opal
Traits: Artistic, social, polished, peace-going
WINE: LE SENATE ‘SCIUCCA PANZA ROSE’ from Le Marche
Vintage: 2019
Grape Variety: 100% Merlot
Fermentation: Steel Tanks
Aging: Steel Tanks for 4 months.
Tasting Notes: Pale copper color. Hints of pink grapefruit, cherry, lemon thyme, lavender, ginger, rounded off with a powdery note. An elegant and lively wine with a dominating freshness. Savory and enveloping with a clean and soft finish on the palate, reminiscent of pink grapefruit and wild strawberries.
Pairings: Raw fish, tuna, salmon, egg-based dishes, salumi, and cheeses.
Interpretation: Libra is the sign of partnerships and marriage. Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, influences pursuits of love, passion, culture, and adornment. The planet Venus rules pleasure. Libra’s ruling metal is copper. After carefully contemplating the best wine to pair for Librans, I chose this gorgeous copper-colored rose from Le Senate. This wine is a Venus wine. Pleasurable, sexy, luxurious, and perfect for a Libra.
SCORPIO: October 23-November 21
Symbol: The Scorpion
Element: Water
Quality: Fixed
Ruling Planet: Pluto
Lucky Day: Tuesday
Lucky Birthstone: Topaz
Traits: Imaginative, passionate, intense, emotional
WINE: POGGIO GRANDE DI TESTA MIA RISERVA D.O.C from Tuscany
Vintage: 2015
Grape Variety: Sangiovese
Fermentation: Steel tanks
Aging: New French oak tonneaux and barriques for 36 months.
Tasting Notes: Notes of ripe cherry, dry plum, tobacco, and white chocolate with smooth, elegant tannins.
Pairings: Pasta with meat sauce, game, roasted or braised meat, and mature cheese.
Interpretation: Scorpio is the sign of inheritance and legacy. Pluto, the ancient god of the other world, also rules beginnings and endings. Scorpios are described as intense and deep souls with a formidable passion to accomplish tasks in their gifted Scorpio manner. Di Testa Mia, translates to My Way, much like a Scorpio, this Sangiovese Riserva is intense, deep, and full of passion, the perfect expression for sexy Scorpio.
SAGITTARIUS: November 22-December 21
Symbol: The Archer
Element: Fire
Quality: Mutable
Ruling Planet: Jupiter
Lucky Day: Thursday
Lucky Birthstone: Turquoise
Traits: Energetic, ambitious, generous, freedom-loving
WINE: CAPITONI ORCIA RISERVA D.O.C from Tuscany
Vintage: 2016
Grape Variety: Sangiovese, Merlot
Fermentation: Steel tanks
Aging: In barrique for 12 months. Refined in bottle for at least 6 months.
Tasting Notes: Intense fruit, cherry, chestnut woodiness, and spices.
Pairings: Soups, white meats, pasta, cheese, and charcuterie.
Interpretation: Sagittarius is the sign of higher education and philosophy. Jupiter, the ruler of the heavens, was the most important Roman god. The planet Jupiter rules good fortune, abundance, and new ideas. I choose Capitoni Orcia Riserva to pair with optimistic and intelligent Sag because the winemaker is also a professor of enology, teaching aspiring winemakers innovative yet traditional ways to produce outstanding wines. He is also a philosopher, this surely will attract Sagittarius to this robust and refined red wine made with love for generations.
CAPRICORN: December 22-January 19
Symbol: The Goat
Element: Earth
Quality: Cardinal
Ruling Planet: Saturn
Lucky Day: Saturday
Lucky Birthstone: Garnet
Traits: Patient, determined, prudent, acquisitive, disciplined
WINE: MADREVITE ‘ELVE’ TRASIMENO GRECHETTO D.O.C from Umbria
Vintage: 2018
Grape Variety: 100% Grechetto
Fermentation: Steel tanks
Aging: In steel tanks for 6 months. Refined in the bottle for at least 3 months.
Tasting Notes: The nose shows hints of white fruits and citrus fruits with hints of Mediterranean scrub. This Grechetto is fresh, deep, and of rare complexity.
Pairings: Antipasto, first courses, and fish and white meat-based preparations.
Interpretation: Capricorns are ambitious and born with a desire to find purpose. Saturn is the Roman god who presided over the sowing and reaping of grain. Saturn, the planet represents restriction, limitations, and discipline. Capricorns have a deep desire for success, status, and to find true love. Look no further poetic Capricorn, one taste of crisp and delicious ‘Elve’ and it will love at first sip.
AQUARIUS:
Symbol: The Waterbearer
Element: Air
Quality: Fixed
Ruling Planet: Uranus
Lucky Day: Wednesday
Lucky Birthstone: Amethyst
Traits: Independent, inventive, original, analytical, progressive
WINE: MADREVITE FUTURA SPUMANTE METODO CLASSICO ANCESTRALE
Vintage: 2019
Grape Variety: 100% Trebbiano Spoletino
Fermentation: Steel tanks
Aging: Aged in stainless steel, then in bottle for two months.
Tasting Notes: The nose has hints of white fruits and citrus fruits with hints of Mediterranean scrub. The Futura (Future) wine is fresh, deep, and creamy.
Pairings: Appetizers, first courses, and fish and white meat-based preparations.
Interpretation: Aquarians are the sign of the future, visionaries in their own rite. Uranus is the ancient Greek god of the sky and the first ruler of the universe. Uranus is the planet of change, modern science, and then unexpected. Futura Spumante means the Future Spumante. This sparkling Trebbiano wine has the future in mind but is made in the ancestral method used thousands of years ago. This is why I choose this outstanding wine to pair with innovative yet original Aquarius.
PISCES: February 19-March 20
Symbol: The Fishes
Element: Water
Quality: Mutable
Ruling Planet: Neptune
Lucky Day: Friday
Lucky Birthstone: Aquamarine
Traits: Receptive, intuitive, emotional, romantic, adaptable
WINE: SCOPETO DEL CAVALLI BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO D.O.C.G
Vintage: 2013
Grape Variety: 100% Sangiovese
Fermentation: Stainless Steel vats.
Aging: Aged in French oak barriques for 3 years
Tasting Notes: Ruby red color, complex notes of candied fruit, orange zest, and mild spices on the nose. Juicy and silky palate, well-balanced, round, and with a long, lingering finish.
Pairings: Beef, lamb, rabbit, roasted chicken, truffle, cheese
Interpretation: Pisces is the sign of dreams and mysticism. Neptune is the ancient god of the sea and the planet of glamour and illusion. Pisceans are thought to be connected to the spirit world and have experienced many lifetimes, making them “old souls.” For this reason, I picked a rare and prestigious Sangiovese that takes much time and effort to make. Scopeto del Cavalli Brunello di Montalcino is a deep, dreamy, mystical wine that a Piscean will surely remember for lifetimes to come.
