We love Italian wines and so will you once you try these 5 at our tasting this Friday, May 25. The issue that many of our customers have with Italian reds is that they can be tangy and sharp and not especially likable without food, but that’s not always the case. Come by and try these 5 that we think work well on or off the dinner table this Friday. The sampling gets started at 4:00 and ends at 7:00, and the cost is $5/person or it’s free if you’re a Grape Nut.
1. Falesco Sangiovese – The brothers Cotarella make some of Italy’s most splendid values from their home winery based in Umbria. This is dark, rich and structured Sangiovese that sees a little bit of oak aging that serves to soften the wine a bit. It is a consensus best value in The Wine Advocate and sells for a song.
2. Gianfranco Alessandria Barbera d’Alba – Gianfranco Alessandria is a shy and quiet man, but his wines aren’t. This is a nice, full bodied Barbera with loads of black currant and plum fruit with subtle suggestions of violet and spice.
3. Falesco Merlot – Here’s a 92 point rated wine (The Wine Advocate) that drinks like it should cost you about $30……it’s about $15. Ripe, almost jammy blueberry and blackberry fruit are interlaced with notions of baking spices and nicely integrated French oak. Yum!
4. Zenato Cormi – “Cormi” is a fun, uncoventional blend of Corvina (the top grape in an Amarone) and Merlot from Zenato, one of the top names in Amarone. The Corvina is allowed to dry for a short period of time, thus intensifying the flavors, and the Merlot adds a nice plush texture to this pleasure heavy offering.
5. Bodegas Renacer Enamore – This is a joint project between Mendoza based Renacer and Verona based Allegrini and some of you know how good of a hand Allegrini has with Amarone. The wine is produced in Argentina and the blend is primarily Cabernet Sauvignon with smaller amounts of Malbec, Cab Franc and Bonarda. The grapes are allowed to dry in the Amarone style and the wine is simply delicious.