In the waning days (or the last day) of August, you’ll need some pretty pink bottles to say goodbye to summer (but hopefully not rose). Here are a few from Italy that will help these last days of la dolce vita.
Capezzana Conte Contini Bonacossi “Vin Ruspo” 2022, Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC, Toscana. Named for a property once owned by the Medici family (Barco Reale translates as “Royal Property”), this bright blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet and Canaiolo straddles the lines between tangy and tropical with pink grapefruit as the star and a savory tarragon note. Medium weighted and food friendly.
Feudo Maccari Oasi di Feudo 2022, Sicilia DOC. Made from Nero d’Avola, this copper-colored wine is bursting with fresh strawberry and raspberry, has a nice acid streak and a big personality with other fruit and spice notes. Good with spicy, international foods. Jazzy bottle. Organically farmed.
Feudo Montoni Nerello Mascalese Rose di Adele 2021, Sicilia DOC. A dry island rose made from Nerello Mascalese shows a pink-onion skin, rose and white flowers aromas followed by pomegranate and wild strawberries on the palate. Made from certified organic grapes.
Frescobaldi Alie Ammiraglia 2022, Toscana IGT. A tangy and tropical dry blend of Syrah and Vermentino that features guava and melon riding on a creamy palate. Alie is “sea nymph,” so named for the winery’s proximity to the Tyrrhenian Sea in Maremma.
Garofoli Komaros, 2022, Marche IGT. Super fresh and light, clean and tangy with baby red fruits and a bit of an herbal lift. Sustainably farmed by a reliable producer in a region that’s one to watch. Drink with everything or drink on its own.
Masseria Li Veli Susumaniello “Torrerose” 2022, Salento IGT. “Made from one of Puglia’s signature grapes, Negromaro, this smacks of saline and ripe tropical fruit with blood orange and clementine playing a major role. Vibrant and sassy with a line of licorice/anise keeping it anchored. This made my eyes pop with surprise at first taste and kept me interested through the last sip.
Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio rose “Delisa” 2021, Dolomites IGT. An interesting example of a surprising wine from the northeast mountains. Yellowy-pink in color, this is neither a white nor a pink wine, but is a curious and tasty mid-weight summer wine that could go into fall. Baked yellow apples and other yellow orchard fruits, maybe plum? More depth than most PGs.
Pasqua “11 Minutes” Trevenezie IGT, Verona. Named for the length of time of skin contact with the grape skins, this is a copper-colored wine in a pretty bottle with a beautiful nature-themed label, making this an attractive “plus one” at a dinner party. And it tastes, good, too! Tangy clementine, a bit of tart tropical fruit like pineapple, great for transitioning from summer into fall. A blend driven by Corvina (50%) with 25% Trebbiano, 15% Syrah and 10% Carmenère.
Scaia Rosato 2022, Veneto IGT. Copper-penny pink, this is a medium-bodied, glycerol wine with late summer garden tones, rhubarb and herbs more dominant than the red fruits. They are there, but back stage, making this a good wine to pair with garlicky dishes such as garlic scape pesto. Made from 100% Rondinella, one of the Veneto’s signature grapes commonly used in Valpolicella and Bardolino.
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