Italian Merlot From Volcanic Soil

Famiglia Cotarella is in Lazio, located along the central part of the front of Italy's "boot," overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. It's where Rome is. The volcanic soils in the region is what attracted the Cotarella family to the place. They figured they could make a good Merlot from grapes grown there. And they did.

The grapes for the 2020 Cotarella Sodale Merlot were crushed on their skins for nearly two weeks. Then they were fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged in oak barrels for ten months. 

This wine is colored dark ruby and shows a ring of deep purple around the edge of the glass. The nose features plenty of ripe, red fruit and a trace of earthy salinity. On the palate, the fruit stands out, while savory oak notes, such as cedar, vanilla and tobacco, drift in towards the end of the sip. The tannins are quite firm and ready to be given a steak on which to work. The finish is lengthy and holds the savory aspect longer than the fruit. 

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Italian Rosso To Cook With, And To Drink

I found myself looking for an Italian red for cooking. This 2019 Piccolo Fiore Terre Siciliane Rosso did the trick. Like Julia Child always said, only use a wine for cooking which you would drink on its own. 

It was fermented in stainless steel, which I love to see in a red wine. The grapes in this wine are Syrah and Nero d'Avola.  The Bronco Wine website shows no mention of oak, but I think there was oak aging. Alcohol is somewhat restrained at 13.5% abv and it sold for $9 at Whole Foods Market.

This wine is medium dark. The nose is savory, full of tar, earth, tobacco, licorice, plums and raspberries. The palate is similarly dark and savory, with sweet tannins and good acidity. I made a pasta sauce with my first pour, then enjoyed the second pour while it cooked. It was delightful. 

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A Gifted Brunello, 2005

The 2005 La Velona Brunello di Montalcino is 100% Sangiovese at 14% abv alcohol content. I don't know how much the bottle originally cost, but it sells now for around $35, according to Wine-Searcher. 

It was a gift from a friend of ours who culled it from her mother's home when mom had to move to a smaller place. It was nice of her to think of her friendly, neighborhood wine writer.

This wine has some years on it, and it shows. In the glass, the ruby core goes to brick red along the edge. The nose has savory notes of forest floor, tea, tar, and thyme. The palate is a bit thin. Tart, red fruit has faded over the nearly two decades since its vintage. There are still spices, and some herbal elements to be enjoyed. The tannins are firm enough for food, yet gentle enough for sipping. 

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Brunello Di Montalcino Is How You Say Sangiovese

Castiglion del Bosco has been the home of Tuscan luxury since the 13th-century. The estate was acquired in 2003 by Massimo Ferragamo. It's in Montalcino, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Val d'Orcia. The estate went to organic farming in 2016. 

The winery boasts that Cecilia Leoneschi has been their winemaker at since Massimo took over the estate. "Having devoted much of her career to understanding the complexities and nuances of the sangiovese grape," they say, "Cecilia continuously works to hone the vinification and aging techniques" for that variety.

The influences of the sea are felt in this area. Hot, dry summers and constant winds remove moisture. The "galestro" stone in the soil gives the wine its unique aroma, complexity and structure. 

The 2019 vintage featured a dry winter with below-average rainfall, which was then largely restored in the cool and rainy month of May. Summer was in no hurry to arrive, but the July heat eventually came. The rains returned in late August, followed by a cool, breezy September that gave the grapes plenty of time for optimal ripening.

Once vinified, the wine aged for 24 months in French oak, 20% new, then another two years in the bottle. Alcohol resides at 15% abv and the retail price is $65.

This wine has a dark garnet color in the glass, with a bit of brick red around the edge. Dark fruit dominates the nose, with aromas of cherry, black cherry and plum. Notes of tar, anise and sage adorning the fruit. The palate offers a savory mix of minerals, spices and cedar. The acidity is brisk and the tannins are firm. A medium-length finish highlights the savory aspect of the wine. It is a very smooth sip considering the 15% alcohol.  

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Chardonnay From The Heel Of Italy's Boot

The 2023 Varvaglione 12 e Mezzo Chardonnay is a Puglia IGP wine. "12 e mezzo" is Italian for twelve and a half. The name refers to the wine's alcohol content, which is lower than many of its Pugliese counterparts. 

The Chardonnay grapes are organic, grown in the Taranto province of Puglia, the heel of Italy's boot. The stainless steel production means you get to taste the grapes, not the oak. Alcohol, as mentioned, rests at 12.5% abv and the retail price is $17.

This wine's color is a pale yellow, tinted green. The nose is rather muted, but it displays the best of the unadorned grape, without the oak. Citrus aromas dominate, with a healthy minerality, and a sweet floral note adds complexity. The palate has a lemon flavor with a strong element of salinity. It's a great wine to pair with crab or oysters. The acidity is medium strength and the finish highlights the mineral aspect. 

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A Sicilian Wine For Come Over October

Come Over October is a campaign dreamed up by a wine writer and a couple of publicists. The idea is, share wine with friends and family during the month. It is an admirable aspiration, if a little bit pedantic. Who do they think I'm drinking with during the rest of the year? Total strangers? People I don't like very much? Maybe, but they had better bring their own bottles. 

Seriously, it's a nice promotion to further the conviviality of wine consumption. Hopefully it will move a few more bottles off the shelves. Also hopefully, it will prompt folks to drink wine with people they like. It's much more enjoyable that way.

My friendly neighborhood publicist jumped on the opportunity created by this movement, and sent to me a bottle of a Sicilian wine. It was an offer I couldn't refuse.

The 2020 vintage of Tenuta Regaleali Lamùri Nero d'Avola was produced by Sicily's Tasca family. They have been making it for six decades now, so you can be sure they know what they are doing. 

Tenuta Regaleali is the family's flagship estate, located in the highlands of central Sicily. How high are the highlands? About 1800 feet, I'm told. March of the 2020 vintage was very rainy, which is good since the spring was hot and the summer dry.

The 100% Nero d’Avola grapes were grown on five estate vineyards, fermented in steel tanks and aged half in stainless steel and half in large Slavonian oak barrels for just six months. Alcohol checks in at 13% abv and the wine retails for  $16.

This wine is quite dark in the glass. Its nose is powerful, loaded with dark notes like black cherry, tar, leather, and tobacco. The palate is just as dark, with brambly cherry and plum flavors and a heavy dose of earthy minerality. The finish fades more quickly than I would like, because a savory delight is left behind after the sip. I would have this with a lamb burger or Italian sausage and be very happy with the pairing. 

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Italian Barbera For The Short Ribs

The Castelvero estate in Piedmont was named after a count who lived there once upon a time. The name wasn't hung on the door until 1970, but the recognition was nice. Piemonte is known as the land of Barolo and Barbaresco, even though more Barbera is made there.

The Castelvero Piemonte Barbera 2020 was grown in the Monferrato hills. Alcohol gets up there, to 14% abv, and the price was $10 at my local Whole Foods Market. I bought it use in my slow cooker short ribs meal, but it serves well as a sipper, too. 

This wine colors up a medium-dark cherry red. Cherry and raspberry aromas dominate the nose, with plenty of fruit that outlasts the savory aspect. The palate is also fruity, and the tannins are quite firm. There is a savory streak that runs through the palate, but it is not strong enough to wipe out the fruit. 

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Super Tuscan Earthy Red Blend

The Frescobaldi family has been making wine for more than 900 years in Tuscany. Their wines have graced the tables of kings and their reputation has grown through the centuries. 

The 2020 Castiglioni Toscana IGT contains Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Sangiovese grapes, all harvested from the namesake estate vineyard. The vintage was marked by an early spring, and long summer and timely rains during August. 

The wine spent 12 months in barriques after malolactic fermentation, then another two months in the bottle. Alcohol hits 14% abv and the retail price is $28. 

This wine is medium dark, with a bit of light getting through the glass. The nose presents a savory show of spice and fruit. Blackberry and plum aromas are joined by oak spice, earth and coffee notes. The palate has plenty of that dark fruit, but also plenty of that savory side. Good acidity and firm tannins refresh the mouthfeel. The finish is medium. This is a great wine to pair with pork or roasted chicken, but I think it would also be nice with turkey on the Thanksgiving table. 

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Fizzy Pinot Grigio Rosé From Italy

The Giardino Vivace Pinot Grigio Rosé was made for Trader Joe's by a producer in Veneto, Giardino Wines, in the delle Venezie DOC. Alcohol is low, at 11.5% abv, and so is the price, at just $5. This is a bargain wine I will go back to again. It is great by the pool or on the patio, where its fizzy nature provides refreshment. It is also a good pair with seafood or salad. 

This wine has a medium copper tint. It pours up frizzante in the glass. That's fun. On the nose I find tart apples and pears. The palate, however, presents very ripe red cherries, almost sweet. The wine is dry and the acidity is bracing. For a cheap little Trader Joe's rosé, this is a fairly nice wine. 

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Sangiovese From Romagna

The Italian winery Poderi dal Nespoli is located in the Bidente Valley, on the hills of Forlì, an area that connects the Apennines to the Adriatic coast. Their Gualdo Romagna DOC is a Sangiovese wine, the grapes for which were grown in the commune of Predappio. 

The winery grows their grapes biosymbiotically, using fungal root injections into the soil. Don't ask me to explain what that is, or what it does, but it does appear to be a thing. Alcohol for this wine rests at 13.5% abv and the retail price is around $20. 

This wine is medium ruby colored. The nose is forceful. It shows blackberries and black plums, along with an extremely earthy element. The palate carries dark fruit under a savory cloak, and there is a very firm set of tannins. The acidity is quite lively and the finish is long and savory. 

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A Funky Sangiovese The Romagna DOC

The Italian winery Poderi dal Nespoli is located in the Bidente Valley, on the hills of Forlì, an area that connects the Apennines to the Adriatic coast. Their Gualdo Romagna DOC is a Sangiovese wine, the grapes for which were grown in the commune of Predappio. 

The winery grows their grapes biosymbiotically, using fungal root injections into the soil. Don't ask me to explain what that is, or what it does, but it does appear to be a thing. Alcohol for this wine rests at 13.5% abv and the retail price is around $20. 

This wine is medium ruby colored. The nose is forceful. It shows blackberries and black plums, along with an extremely earthy element. The palate carries dark fruit under a savory cloak, and there is a very firm set of tannins. The acidity is quite lively and the finish is long and savory. 

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Five Prosecco Wines

Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine produced in a large area spanning nine provinces in the regions of Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Traditionally, Glera is the favored grape for making Prosecco. Why shouldn't it be? It was known as Prosecco until the name was changed in 2009. Glera must make up at least 85% of a Prosecco wine. Other grapes in the remaining 15% include Verdiso, Bianchetta Trevigiana, Perera, Glera Lunga, Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Nero, vinified off the skins.

Consorzio Tutela, the organization that promotes and protects the Prosecco name, explains how the method of vinification differs from other sparkling wines, which are given a secondary fermentation in the bottle through the Champagne method.

"The Martinotti method, invented by Dr. Federico Martinotti at the end of the 19th century, is used to produce spumante and frizzante sparkling wines with distinctive floral and fruity notes through a natural second fermentation process in large sealed tanks (autoclaves)." The Consorzio continues, "Dr. Antonio Carpenè, one of the founding members of the Conegliano School of Wine-making, was the first person to use this method to produce sparkling Prosecco wine with the characteristics that are so well known today. Prior to this, the wines were produced using second fermentation in the bottle."

I was given five different bottles of Prosecco to sample. I'll tackle them one by one. 

Brilla! Prosecco DOC 

The Brilla! website says the bubbly is targeted to "young people, millennials, party addicted." Well, don't I feel old, sitting here at home enjoying it all by myself. Maybe I should call a party addict to roll up on my place for some good ol' fashioned, newfangled cork poppin'. Maybe I'll yell for my wife to come downstairs and join me. The Brilla! Prosecco has restrained alcohol at 11% abv and a retail price of $15.

This wine has a pale yellow color and a slightly frizzante bubble situation. The nose displays citrus, green apple, pear and minerality. The palate has those flavors, along with a very nice acidity. It is an amazing aperitif and perfect for the patio. 

Brilla! Prosecco Rosé 2023

The Brilla! website is given more to style than substance. It is a good looking layout, though. This pink Prosecco is made from a blend of Glera and Pinot Nero which are vinified in steel tanks. Alcohol hits only 11% abv and the retail price is $20. 

This wine has an onion skin tint in the glass and plenty of bubbles, which dissipate quickly. The nose displays apples and strawberries with a hint of citrus. Flavors of red berries dominate the palate, while acidity is quite fresh and the finish is fruity. 

Avissi Prosecco DOC is made from 100% Glera grapes. It is vinified in concrete tanks, in small batches. 11% $13 

This wine has a golden tint in the glass. The nose is dominated by apple and pear, with a nice floral scent. Flavors of fruit lead the way on the palate, as apples, pears and citrus are joined by a light minerality. The bubbles are frothy, but they dissipate quickly. Acidity is bracing and the sip is quite dry. 

Bottega Gold Prosecco DOC 

The bottle is a golden mirror, sure to be a head-turner, but also probably drives the price upward, above most other Prosecco wines. Alcohol sits at 11% abv and the retail price is $29.

This wine pours up bubbly, and the dissipating bubbles leave a straw yellow wine with a greenish tint. The nose is quite savory, yet populated with flowers and fruit. The minerality comes through on the palate, as does the significant acidity. I paired it with my veggie stir fry, and it tasted great. 

Valdo Marca Oro Prosecco Brut Rosé 2023 

The Glera grape meets Pinot Noir in this pink sparkler. The blend is 90% Glera and only 10% Pinot. Alcohol sits at 11% abv and the retail price is $15. 

This wine colors up a light copper pink. The bubbles are festive, but they don't last long. The nose is quite sweet, with a strong floral element first and followed by red fruit and citrus. On the palate there is a racy acidity with a dry mouthfeel. Red berries are featured, and they last into the finish. 

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Tuscan Vermentino That Begs For A Food Pairing

Tenuta Ammiraglia Masso Vivo Toscana Vermentino 2023 is made of grapes grown in the Maremma region, on the Ammiraglia estate, an area known for huge outcroppings of yellow rock. That rocky soil is called masso vivo, or living rock. There is no better place for the name Masso Vivo than on the front label. It is the name of this Tuscan Vermentino. 

The wine was vinified and aged in stainless steel tanks, with aging done on the lees, or spent yeast cells. The 2023 vintage featured a mild winter with lots of rain in December and January and more in the spring, in March and April. Alcohol rests at 12.5% abv and Masso Vivo retails for $22.

This wine is tinted light yellow. The nose is what I really love about Vermentino. It smells of the ocean, with savory streaks of Meyer lemon and a hint of white blossoms. The palate is so full of salinity and minerals that it begs for a food pairing. This is exactly what I want in a white wine. 

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Italian Bubbles From The North

Here is an Italian sparkler which is actual sparkling wine, rather than Prosecco. It is from the Trentino area of Alto Adige, in the Dolomites. All the grapes used are Chardonnay. Only the free run juice is used, with no pressing involved. The wine is vinified in steel tanks, with no oak contact at all. Alcohol hits only 12.5% abv and it retails for around $20. 

This wine has a beautiful, rich salmon pink color. There are bubbles aplenty, which dissipate quickly. The nose features bright strawberry and cherry aromas, along with a nice yeasty element. The palate shows citrus in the form of lemon zest and a light touch of grapefruit. It is as dry as a bone, as the expression goes. Inhaling a bit with the sip nearly takes away the breath. It is an outstanding version of Italian bubbles done in the metodo classico. You may know that as methode champenoise. 

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Super Tuscan Scores In The Glass And On The Stove

Volpolo comes from Tuscany, the Bolgheri DOC, to be more precise. It is Podere Sapaio's second label. The winery was founded in the early 1990s, and the three and a half decades since then have shown the outfit to be quite adept at winemaking.

The 2022 Volpolo di Sapaio Bolgheri DOC is a Super Tuscan blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, 15% Merlot, and 15% Petit Verdot. The juice was fermented in steel tanks, aged in French oak barriques for 14 months, then given a rest in cement tanks before bottling. Alcohol tips 14.5% abv and the retail price is $36.

This wine is very dark in the glass, with almost no light getting through. The nose is full of blackberry, blueberry and plum, with savory notes of anise, black pepper, tobacco, tar and a hint of smoke joining the fruit. The palate has a savory bent as well, with spice and earth mixing in with the dark fruit flavors. The acidity is quite fresh and the tannins have a medium firm grip. I paired mine with slow cooker short ribs, and even used some in the recipe. Delicious. 

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Weird Name, Good Italian Wine

The wine with the unusual name Hey French, You Could Have Made This But You Didn't is an Italian white blend from Verona. The grape varieties are Garganega, Pinot Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc, grown in the Monte Calvarino Vineyard in Soave's eastern edge. Alcohol ticks 13.5% abv and it retails for $45. 

The Pasqua family has been in the wine business in Veneto since 1925. They bill the winery as the House of the Unconventional. The label art is certainly that, a shoutout to the winemakers west of Italy. The blending of five premier vintages (2016-2020) is also a bit off the straight and narrow. So is vinification and aging for six months in oak, then a transfer to steel tanks. It may seem a bit wacko, but it works. 

The wine exhibits a brilliant golden hue. On the nose are aromas of apricot, apples, citrus and a slight pineapple note. The palate is savory, with all the fruit mentioned plus salinity and a nuttiness. The acidity is quite fresh. Pair this one with anything from the sea or a pasta dish in a creamy white sauce. 

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A Savory Sicilian

The Nero d'Avola grape is from Sicily. It is named after a town, Avola, in the southern part of the Italian island. If you like Shiraz wines from Australia, you will probably like Nero d'Avola. The grape produces a full bodied, spicy red wine that pairs well with dishes featuring beef or tomato sauce.

The 2018 Cantine Ermes Epicentro Nero d'Avola Riserva shows how well this grape can age. It spent a year and a half in large oak barrels and another six months in the bottle before being shipped. It has been four years since then, and the additional time shows well in the juice. The alcohol number is 14% abv and the retail figure is $24. 

This wine is a deep purple color, very dark. It offers an extremely savory nose of black fruit and a heavy dose of tar, as well as clove and cardamom. The palate shows many of the same elements. Blackberry, plum and licorice flavors are noticeable, as are cedar, tobacco and cinnamon. The tannins are firm, but not bothersome, and the finish is long and savory. It is a beauty of a wine. 

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Pink Wine From Northeast Italy

This pink wine, the 2022 Cecilia Beretta Freeda Rosé Trevenezie, was produced in Veneto, Italy, in the Rosé Trevenezie IGT. The area’s three wine regions - Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol - are collectively called the Tre Venezie. This wine comes to the U.S. courtesy of Latitude Wine Imports.

The grapes used in this rosé are Corvina, Sauvignon Blanc and Carménère, grown along the southern shores of Lake Garda. It is a grape combo I’ve never encountered, in rosé or anything else. Alcohol rests at an easygoing 12.5% abv and it was quite affordable, $8, at Trader Joe's.

This wine has a distinctive light copper color. Its nose is full of sweet, ripe strawberry and cherry aromas, with a bit of lemon zest minerality. The palate brings the red fruit and a strong minerality. Acidity is fresh and the finish is medium length. A pairing will be no problem with such a food friendly wine. Seafood, salads and risotto are all excellent choices. 

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Good News From Sicily - Affordable Nero d'Avola

The Nero d'Avola grape is from Sicily. It is named after a town, Avola, in the southern part of the Italian island. If you like Shiraz wines from Australia, you will probably like Nero d'Avola. The grape produces a full bodied, spicy red wine that pairs well with dishes featuring beef or tomato sauce.

The 2022 Nero Oro Appassimento Nero d'Avola was produced in the appassimento method, in which the grapes are dried before vinification, giving them increased color and flavor. Some fresh grapes are also included. Alcohol hits 14% abv and the retail price is $12.

This wine is dark in the glass. It has a rather muted nose, but it manages to show off some plum and dark berry aromas. There is also a smattering of tobacco, oregano and clove. The palate is complex and vivid. The strong dark fruit flavors are cloaked in sweet oak spice and black pepper. With the meatballs from my butcher across the street, the pairing is perfect. 

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Sicilian By Nature - Organic Nero d'Avola

The Nero d'Avola grape is from Sicily. It is named after a town, Avola, in the southern part of the Italian island. If you like Zinfandel or Shiraz wines from Australia, you will probably like Nero d'Avola. The grape produces a full bodied, spicy red wine that pairs well with dishes featuring beef or tomato sauce.

The 2021 Caruso & Minini Naturalmente is from the Sicilia DOC, it is organic and it has alcohol at 13.5%. The retail price for this varietal wine is $19.  

This wine is medium dark in color. The nose is rather faint, but has a nice scent of cherries and flowers. The palate explodes with a peppery shower of red fruit and some savory drapery that has an earthy, eucalyptus note to it. The flavors exhibited here are exceptional, and somewhat out of the ordinary. Pair it with a meaty pasta dish, or use it in making the meaty pasta dish. Or both. 

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