Value is where the quality of the wine intersects with the price. One would be hard pressed to find country with better wine value than Italy. Stop by this Saturday as we pour a few such gems that will get you back to school or just into September and ready for the equinox. We have wines from Emilia-Romagna, Campania, Abruzzo, and Apulia out of such grapes as Pigoletto, Caprettone, Falanghina, Greco, Montelpulciano, Susumaniello and Negroamaro. Some of these grapes are a bit obscure, but they are all delicious.
Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto “Spazzavento Torre dei Nanni” $15
Alberto and Cristina Fiorini, brother and sister, are the fourth generation of a family that has produced Lambrusco wines since 1919 with holdings in the province of Modena in Emilia-Romagna. Pignoletto is a white indigenous varietal of the area. The nose is delicate, but intense and aromatic. Full in the mouth the wine has a pleasant bitterish finish
2016 Iovine, Lacryma di Christi del Vesuvio Bianco $14
Caprettone, Falanghina, Greco
The members of the Iovine family have been viticulturists and have produced wine for four generations since 1890. They own approximately 15 hectares of vineyards in the Sorrento Peninsula, in Campania. The soils (made up of volcanic deposits from eruptions of the Vesuvius) give this blend its distinct character. It is an elegant, floral wine with a slightly acidic, lovely freshness.
2016 Sanvito, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo $9
Sanvito’s modest Montepulciano shows full smooth structured tannins that support notes of ripe cherries and blackberry notes with a solid backbone of acidity that “pops” the fruit notes on the palate and keeps it fresh.
2015 Tenute di Rubino, Oltreme Susumaniello $14
Made from Susumaniello grapes grown in Apulia in the warm south of Italy. Characterized by an intense ruby red color with purple hues. It presents a bouquet of fragrant and fresh red berry fruit notes, among which stand out cherry, pomegranate, raspberry and hints of ripe plum. At the palate, it gives off a fruity flavor, mineral, round with pleasant and soft tannins that make it particularly pleasant to drink.
2014 Tenute di Rubino Miraglio Negroamaro $14
The Rubino is ruby red, its aromas express ethereal notes of red fruit in spirit, plum, blackberry and currant, and spices. Syrups of licorice, thyme and rosemary open to a warm and elegant taste, full and round. Its tannic texture is smooth and velvety, it closes with a finale that stands out for persistence.
Madrona Wine Merchants offers free wine tastings featuring 4-5 selections on a theme every Saturday from 2 until the bottles run out and on Sunday we offer a mini-tasting of two wines all day from 11-5.