Rosé On The Dark Side

If you are a Nebbiolo fan, and who’s not, you should try a Nebbiolo rosé. I grabbed this one off the shelf at Eataly in Los Angeles. It was my first pink Nebbiolo, and it won’t be my last.

The 2024 Sfera Nebula Rosa Nebbiolo rosato is on the dark side of rosé. The 100% Nebbiolo grapes were grown organically in Monferrato, Piedmont, on the Crotin family estate. The juice got six to eight hours of skin contact, was vinified in stainless steel, and aged there for six months on its lees. Alcohol tips 12.5% abv and the price is $24.

This wine pours up in an orange salmon color, almost copper. The nose gives nice aromas of cherry, raspberry, and a slice of citrus minerality. The palate is full and creamy, thanks to the six months aging on the lees. The red fruit is a bit tart and a sneaky citrus note makes an appearance. The salinity lasts into the finish. This is not a pinky from the south of France. It’s darker and bolder. 

Follow Randy Fuller on X and BlueSky

Italian White Wine From Abruzzo

Wines with colorful, eye-catching labels generally don’t make it into my shopping basket, but something made me try the 2024 Abbondanza Pecorino. Maybe because it’s Italian I cut it some slack in the artwork department. It is, after all, a nice piece of work by Los Angeles artist Eric Junker. 

The wine is made from 100% organic Pecorino grapes grown on the hillsides of Abruzzo, as depicted on the label art. The Colline Pescaresi locale is close enough to the Adriatic Sea that the maritime effect comes through in the wine. 

The wine was vinified in stainless steel and packaged in a one-liter bottle. Alcohol sits at 13% abv and I paid $22 for it at Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits & Cheese in Los Angeles.

This wine has a clean, golden straw color. The nose gives a rather faint aroma of stone fruit and citrus minerality. There is a distinct salinity in the smell, no doubt owing to the nearby ocean. The palate is fresh and lemony, with a gentle acidity. The finish is medium in length and carries with it a nutty aftertaste. 

Follow Randy Fuller on X and BlueSky

Lambrusco Light

The 2024 Paltrinieri Radice Lambrusco di Sorbara DOC is a sparkling Lambrusco, with a lighter color than most wines of that grape. Labeled as vino frizzante secco, that describes a wine that is bubbly and dry. 

Made from 100% Lambrusco Sorbara grapes, the second fermentation is done in the bottle, like any other sparkling wine. The juice of the Lambrusco di Sorbara is much lighter and zippier than that of the Lambrusco Grasparossa. Alcohol is predictably low, at 11% abv and it cost $28 at Eataly. 

This is a red wine, but it is orange in the glass, and it pours up with a healthy white foam that dissipates rather quickly. The nose is very earthy and unlike most other Lambruscos I have tasted. The aromas center on citrus, apricot, and herbal notes, with a yeasty twist. The flavors are quite earthy, too, and not at all what I would expect from a red wine, even one that's orange. Minerality plays a leading role here, with stone fruit and cherry notes following. 

Follow Randy Fuller on X and BlueSky

A Bold Red Wine From Southern Italy

At the Mastroberardino winery in Campania, tenth-generation vintner Piero Mastroberardino heads the estate, which was founded in 1878. He was a pioneer, and he works with winemaker Massimo di Renzo. Before 1990, they were the only winery exporting this wine. Fifteen years later, there are nearly 300 producers in the Taurausi DOCG. 

The family has also been active in ampelography, identifying and preserving ancient varieties like Greco and Fiano. Piero's father, Antonio, is often called "The Grape Archaeologist."

The Mastroberardino Radici Taurasi 2020 is a wine which could benefit from spending a lot of time in the cellar. Experts in the field say the Radici Taurasi could easily age for three decades, maybe more. Already, this wine has aged in French and Slovenian oak for two years, with another 24 months in the bottle. The Riserva ages even longer. The grapes are 100% Aglianico from the volcanic soil of Campania.

Radici, which means roots in Italian, has alcohol at 13.5% abv and the price lists at $64, but I see it online in the $35 range.

This wine is extremely dark in color, almost black. Aromas of blackberry, plum, and cassis dominate the nose, with a peppery note also in play. Cedar and vanilla are present, too. The cork, in fact, is one of the most aromatic corks I have ever sniffed. Black fruit defines the palate. Earthy mineral tones give the wine a savory aspect. Tannins are bold, even after decanting. Pair it with a robust meat, like lamb or game. 

Follow Randy Fuller on X and BlueSky 

An Easy Pizza Wine

On the Brigaldara website, there is information on a number of wines, but the one I picked up at my local grocery is absent from the list. That happens to me a lot when I go looking for bargains. 

While Brigaldara focuses on Valpolicella and Amarone, they also apparently bottle a Chianti, made from Tuscan Sangiovese grapes. There is little more I can offer in the way of information. The 2024 Case Vecie Chianti has alcohol at 12% abv and it runs $12 at Whole Foods Market. 

This wine is medium dark ruby in the glass. The nose features dark notes of black cherry, plum, cassis, and a hint of eucalyptus. The palate is dark as well, with cherry, raspberry, and some oak spice to liven it up a bit. The tannins are firm without stinging, and the acidity is lively. Meaty pasta dishes are an easy pairing idea. It's a great wine for a pizza, and you can use it with barbecue, if you like. 

Follow Randy Fuller on X and BlueSky

A Beautiful Italian Rosato Made From Rotberger Grapes

While shopping at Eataly, something happened to me that you may have experienced, too. I ran across a wine that looked so good I had to buy it. The 2025 Vin Dei Molini Rosato hails from the Vigneti Delle Dolomiti Rosato IGT, in the Trentino-Alto Adige region, where I like to look for white and rosé wines. 

Mario Pojer and Fiorentino Sandri have owned the property since 1975. They make a wide range of wines, but this one is fashioned from 100% Rotberger grapes. Rotberger is a cross between Schiava and Riesling. I had never had one before, and I was impressed by this first time. Alcohol hits 12.5% abv and the price was $26 at Eataly.

This wine has a beautiful coral color in the clear bottle and the glass. The nose is lovely, with lemon and cherry aromas leading the way. The palate offers a very nice bit of acidity, along with a flavor profile which includes citrus, raspberry, black cherry, herbs, and sour gummy candy. The finish is savory and medium in length. It's a very food-friendly wine, with fresh acidity and a fruity profile. I would love to have this with pork, salmon, chicken, or just about any kind of sandwich. 

Follow Randy Fuller on X and BlueSky 

White Wine Made From Red Grapes

Here's an unusual wine, at least for me it is. The 2024 InBianco White Sangiovese is made from 100% Sangiovese grapes, which are pressed and bled off to prevent skin contact, which would make the wine take on the red color of the skins. This is a white wine, vinified and aged in stainless steel tanks. Alcohol hits 12.5% abv and it costs $10 at Trader Joe’s. I never thought I would run across such a special wine at Trader Joe’s.

This wine is a clear straw color in the glass. The muted nose shows some stone fruit and minerality, but there is not too much there. The palate is more lively, with a tart citrus, melon, and nectarine flavor profile. It definitely tastes more like a wine made from white grapes. The acidity is rather bold, which pairs well with the citrus element. If you have a pork chop made with fruit, this would be an excellent pairing. I found that the wine was also a great pair with a spicy cucumber and tomato salad, so it’s versatile.

Follow Randy Fuller on X and BlueSky

Fantastic White Wine From South Of Rome

My wine merchant held up the bottle of the 2022 Marco Carpeneti Bellone Nzu and proclaimed, "This wine is great!" I will wholeheartedly agree. Before you ask, Nzu means "togetherness" in the ancient dialect of Cori, symbolizing the marriage of ancient winemaking and modern organic farming. 

The three stars on the label are derived from the family's coat of arms as representing faith, hope, and charity. Today the stars represent sustainability, respect for nature, and innovation. The wine is made from 100% Bellone, a local grape in Cori, a city in the Lazio region of central Italy. It is aged in hand-made clay amphoras. Alcohol tips 14% abv and the retail price is $30.  

This wine is a pale yellow, with some light frizzante showing on the sides of the glass. The nose shows a floral aspect, with notes of apricot, mango, lemon, and lanolin. The palate is just as complex, with citrus minerality, salinity, and a nutty flavor. The acidity is middling, but on the brighter side of it. The wine finishes long and savory. It will be a nice pair with shrimp or crab. 

Follow Randy Fuller on X and BlueSky 

Hail Minerality! Sicilian Wine Delivers

What's not to love about a good, savory white wine? Here's one I found at Trader Joe's. 

The Valenti Enrico IV 2024 is an Etna Bianco D.O.C. wine. Made from 100% Carricante grapes (check your Century Club list,) the wine was grown on the volcanic slopes of Sicily's Mount Etna. Alcohol sits at 12.5% abv and it sells, usually, for about $20 or less.

This wine has a greenish gold tint in the glass. The nose offers plenty of minerality, from wet sidewalk to limes. The palate is similarly blessed with savory salinity as well as a racy acidity. Notes of pear, stone fruit and Meyer lemon also appear, but are more subdued. The finish is quite long and tart. Pair with shrimp or crab, or simply enjoy a sip or two. It's a delicious wine. 

Follow Randy Fuller on X and BlueSky 

French Grapes, Tuscan Soil, Italian Rosato

If you're looking for a special rosé wine, you may be looking in Provence, or California. But don't skip over Italy. There are some good pinks coming out of the country with the boot.

From the heart of Tuscany comes Campo di Sasso's Rissoa 2025. The Toscano Rosato I.G.T. wine is a blend of Cabernet Franc and Syrah, fermented in stainless steel, aged 30 days on the lees, and two months in the bottle. Alcohol sits at 13% abv and it sells for about $32.

This wine is a rich salmon color, with a nice clarity. The nose features cherries, strawberries, a hint of lemon and stone fruit, and a light minerality. Flavors of fruit dominate the palate. Cherry, pear, apricot, lemon, and tangerine all play together. There is a subtle salinity running through the sip. The medium finish is fruity and the acidity is fresh but not racy. I had it with shrimp scampi, and it worked out just fine. 

Follow Randy Fuller on X and BlueSky 

Vermentino From Tuscany

Niccolò Marzichi Lenzi is the CEO and co-owner of Tenuta di Biserno and Tenuta Campo di Sasso, wineries on the coastal reaches of Bibbona in Tuscany. There, the microclimate balances warmth and maritime freshness. Ripeness is moderated, extraction kept light, and structure allowed to step aside for wines that feel expressive and uncontrived.

Two wonderful white wines, Occhione and Rissoa, reflect a nuanced expression of the estate, one that is expressive of their environment.

Occhione is a Vermentino wine, a grape for which I have quite a fondness. This Toscana I.G.T. wine is 100% Vermentino and was vinified and briefly aged in stainless steel tanks. It has alcohol restrained at 13% abv and a retail price of around $20. 

This wine colors up in a light straw tint, and it's a little cloudy. The nose offers minerals and various types of citrus aromas, like lime, orange, and lemon. A strong note of apricot and peach also appears. The palate has stone fruit, citrus, and a good streak of salinity. That savory edge lasts through the rather lengthy finish, while the acidity is brisk. This is a nice wine as an aperitif, but it also pairs well with a spicy shrimp dish. 

Follow Randy Fuller on X and BlueSky 

I'm A Hog For This Super Tuscan Blend

Super Tuscans are not my first choice when it comes to Italian wines. That does not mean I won't enjoy one now and then. The 2024 Tenuto de Biserno Insoglio del Cinghiale is a Toscana IGT wine made up of 45% Syrah grapes, 28% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 7% other varieties.

The wine was fermented in steel tanks, then aged 40% in French oak barriques for at least four months, the remainder in steel. Tenuta de Biserno owner Niccolò Marzichi Lenzi  says the name "Insoglio" is a place where wild boars wallow in the Maremma region of Tuscany. Alcohol tips 13.5% abv and the wine sells for around $30. 

This wine is dark ruby in the glass. The nose shows black cherry, plum, and some spice. On the palate, fruit is forward with an earthy minerality following. The tannins are smooth, and the finish is long, with dark berries being the predominant flavor. I used this one for a pasta sauce, but it would also pair quite well with any beef or pork dish. 

Follow Randy Fuller on X and BlueSky

From The Volcano With Funk

Nerina Cardile is, like her grapes, native of and rooted in Sicily. A psychologist by trade, Cardile turned in her bust of Freud for a tractor that fits between the rows of grapes.

Her 2024 Vulcanica is made from 85% Nerello Mascalese and 15% Nerello Cappuccio grapes. This red, and a white indigenous blend, are the only two wines she produces. It's made with spontaneous fermentation, unfiltered and unfined. Alcohol sits at 13.5% abv and it sells for about $30.

This wine has a brick-red color to it, medium dark. The nose is quite savory. Let's be straight. It's kinda funky. Aromas of raspberry and plum are all but vanquished by the funk. Not that it's a bad thing. It's just a funk thing. Be ready. The palate lets a bit more of the fruit get loose, but you're not escaping the funk zone entirely. The savory experience pairs with an astringent acidity and medium firm tannins. This is what I think of as a country wine, one that packs a punch and doesn't worry about being pretty. 

Follow Randy Fuller on X and BlueSky

An Alpine Red Wine From Northern Italy

White wines from the northern part of Italy are fantastic, but here is an Alpine red wine.

From Vigneti della Dolomiti IGT, in the Trentino-Alto Adige of northern Italy, the grapes for this wine are Schiava. They are also known as Trollinger or Vernatsch, depending on where you are at the time. Schiava grapes likely originated in the Trentino-Alto Adige region, as their growth has been recorded there since the 13th century. Alcohol hits a moderate 12% abv and it sells for less than $10 at Trader Joe's.

The 2024 Vola Schiava is light red, with a rusty tint to it. The nose has aromas of blackberries, plums, and blueberries, with a savory dash of earth. The palate is a fruity as you’d like, with strawberry, current, and licorice red rope flavors. The tannins are somewhat soft, which makes for a good sipping wine. Chill it for a hot summer day on the patio.

Follow Randy Fuller on X and BlueSky 

Gimme A Gavi

Rosa dell’Olmo is located in Piedmont. They produce Barbera d’Asti, Barbaresco, and Barolo wines, along with today’s feature, Gavi. Piedmont has produced wines since the 6th century, with modern styles emerging in the 19th century.

The Gavi wines are white, this one, the 2024 Rosa dell 'Olmo Gavi, is made solely from Cortese grapes. Alcohol sits at a restrained 12% abv and the price is $10 at Trader Joe's. 

This wine offers a nose that's floral, fruity, and full of minerals all at once. The pale straw color in the glass leads to a palate loaded with stone fruit and citrus minerality. The slight acidity makes for a nice, full mouthfeel. Steel fermentation gives a clean, brisk taste. Pair it with pasta primavera, salads, chicken, or fish.

Follow Randy Fuller on X and BlueSky

Bargain Soave Classico Changes Name, Still Can't Hide

Bargain Soave Changes NameI recently grabbed a bottle of the 2024 Casaponte Soave Classico off the shelf at Trader Joe's. I thought something was familiar about the label, and when I looked into it I found that I had seen it before with a different name on it. 

I had already had the 2022 vintage of the wine, with the name Villa Molino Soave Classico on it. The notes are the same this time around, which is alright with me. It's a decent wine and it doesn't hurt the wallet too badly. 

Soave Classico is quite a different wine from Soave. The Classico region of the Soave DOC has a higher altitude and a volcanic aspect to the soil, which is imparted into the Garganega (90%) and Trebbiano (10%) grapes. The wine is much better than the label, which features a picnic basket and a cute little dog who is packing the wine in his saddlebags. Alcohol hits only 12% abv and the bottle can be had for less than $10 at Trader Joe's.

This wine has a golden yellow color in the glass. The nose is highly aromatic, with citrus minerals, apricot and a lanolin note competing for attention. The palate is brisk and full, showing Meyer lemon, guava and a hint of pineapple, all laced with a streak of salinity. The acidity is fresh, but not ripping. The long finish has a sense of apricot outlasting all the other flavors. It's a great wine for sipping, but it paired quite nicely with a way-too-creamy pasta primavera. 

Follow Randy Fuller on X and BlueSky

A Bargain Wine For Summer

The 2022 Rosa dell'Olmo Langhe Nebbiolo is imported by Latitude Wines, a company I've had good luck with in the past. It is available only at Trader Joe's, and it falls squarely into the Bargain Wines To Look For category. Aging took place in stainless steel tanks, and alcohol sits at 13.5% abv and it sells at TJ's for $9. A steal.

This wine looks like a rosato, lightly tinted for a red wine. The nose offers bright cherry and lilac scents. On the palate, juicy and vibrant red fruit are a delight, while the acidity is refreshing and the tannins are medium-firm. It finishes medium, with plenty of fruity reminders of the sip. With summer on the way, keep this one in mind if you need a light red to chill for the patio. 

Follow Randy Fuller on X and BlueSky

White Wine From Italy's Langhe Region

The 2022 Marchesi di Barolo Bric Amel Langhe Bianco comes from the northwestern part of Italy, the Langhe region. White wines from Italy's northern areas are generally loaded with minerality and as crisp as a new dollar bill. 

This wine was grown in hilltop vineyards, in limestone-rich soils which are great for growing white wine grapes. The Bric Amel is made from Arneis, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon grapes. The juice was fermented and aged in steel tanks. Alcohol hits 13.5% abv and the price tag was $25 when I bought it at the Beverly Hills Cheese Shop.

This wine has a vibrant yellow-gold color in the glass. Its nose offers lots of lime and lemon, along with stone fruit, mango, and wet-sidewalk minerality. The palate is fruity, yet with a ton of minerals. On the tongue, the acidity is quite fresh and zippy. Pair it with a creamy shrimp dish. 

Follow Randy Fuller on X and BlueSky

Alpine Freshness In Italian Pinot Grigio

Mezzacorona's 2024 Domenica Pinot Grigio carries the Trentino DOC tag, which means it's a white wine from the place where white wines rule. Domenica was sustainably grown on the foothills of the Alps, with all the minerality, freshness, and crispness that location promises. 

Domenica is Italian for Sunday, which is fine, but feel free to drink it on any day of the week. Alcohol resides at 12.5% abv and the suggested retail price is very affordable at $15.

This wine is crystal clear with a golden-green tint to it. The nose is full of minerality, peach, and citrus, but there is a slightly funky herbal edge to the aroma package. It's a good thing, though. Notable by its absence is a floral component. The palate is a complete joy. The acidity is there, but it's not razor sharp. The flavors center on lemon and lime citrus, with a savory streak running through it. The mouthfeel is soft and round despite the nice level of acidity. 

Follow Randy Fuller on X and BlueSky

Italian Sauvignon Blanc Dating Back To 12th Century

If you want a wine with some history behind it, this is a candidate. The land of the Attems estate in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region of Italy was dedicated to viticulture as far back as 1106. That's the year, not the time of day. They were producing Ribolla Gialla and Refosco wines in 1764.

The winery states that the 2024 vintage saw an uneventful winter, a mild spring, and some welcome rainfall over the summer. The soil from which the Sauvignon Blanc grapes came is partly sandstone that was once a seabed 50 million years ago, and partly alluvial soil dotted with pebbles. The wine was vinified in steel tanks, without malolactic fermentation, and aged for four months on the lees. Alcohol rests at 12.5% abv and the bottle sells for around $20.

This wine has a straw color with a greenish tint. Its clarity is crystal. The nose hits me as New World rather than Old. There is a lot of minerality, the scent of wet sidewalk, and grapefruit. The palate brings citrus minerals to the forefront. An herbal note follows. The mouthfeel is full, yet abundant with acidity. It is a fresh wine, ready for spring salads or shrimp cocktails on the patio. 

Follow Randy Fuller on X and BlueSky