The Romantic Reason Behind Rachael Ray's Favorite Wine

Perennially bubbly TV personality Rachael Ray has been a longtime face of making it as easy as possible for home cooks to get meals on the table. Her groundbreaking show "30 Minute Meals" changed how Americans were cooking as early as 2001, which is also interestingly the year she met her husband John Cusimano. Because she and her husband married in Tuscany, Ray has declared that her favorite wine is Brunello di Montalcino.

Brunello di Montalcino is considered a DOCG wine — the highest classification of Italian wine, meaning "controlled and guaranteed designation of origin" in Italian. In wine label terms, this means the wine must be made completely with the Sangiovese grape varietal, grown in the appellation of Montalcino, and follow strict protocols for harvesting and aging (five years for Brunello, two of which must be in wood barrels). The resulting wine is the pride of Tuscany, with a dark berry fruit profile, bold tannins, and notable acidity.

In addition to tying the knot in Tuscany, Italy figures prominently into Rachael Ray's story with her husband John Cusimano. Both of them have family roots in Italy, and ten years after getting married there, they chose it as the spot for their vow renewal. They also purchased a Tuscan villa in 2017 and currently split time between Italy and New York.

It's no wonder that in a "Rachael Ray Show" Q&A about their favorite foods, Ray and Cusimano both were quick to point to Brunello di Montalcino as their wine of choice. The couple also calls out Italian favorites in the pasta realm, with Ray espousing the importance of pairing the pasta with the right sauce — mentioning orecchiette or pasta "ears" with broccoli rabe, or preserved lemon and chili. Cusimano likes carbonara, for which Ray recommends bucatini or spaghetti. Perhaps either would be a dish they would enjoy with their favorite red wine from Montalcino, which clearly holds a special place in their hearts.