Friday Sips

Based in the heart of Puglia, Antica Enotria is a producer that is a new find for us. Proprietor Raffaele di Tuccio utilizes many of Puglia’s native grapes from both the northern and southern reaches of the region all of which bring forth lip-smacking delicious wines.

Falu is a cuvee of 100% Montepulciano, the same grape of the neighboring province Abruzzo but the difference here are the soil structures of the vineyards. Gravel and limestone rule the day and make a wine that is both rustic and debonair at the same time. Intensity reveals itself on both the nose and in the mouth with concentrated notes of mountain berries, ripe cherry, licorice and lavender careening from the glass, this chewy and exotic beast maintains a satisfying roundness and beautiful balance that fills the mouth with deep yet vibrant red earth tones. The finish is pure and savory making it the perfect red for slow cooked meats, aged cheeses and lamb dishes.

Twenty-Four dollars for Dolcetto?? Are you &%$#@ng crazy??!!??! In all truthfulness, they should have committed me years ago, but for another reason. Giving someone Vigna Tecc as their initial foray into the Dolcetto wines from the Piemontese village of Dogliani where the grape is renowned is pretty much live giving someone vintage Krug as their first Champagne. The best way I like to describe it, is that it is luxury Dolcetto on steroids!

To Italians, the name Einaudi is very special. This Domaine founded by Luigi Einaudi, Italy's first president, is run today by his granddaughter Paola Einaudi. Barolo and Barbera wines are also produced here, but the heart of the operation is Dolcetto and the Vigna Tecc (pronounced tesh like John) is a selection of fruit that is from 70+ year old vines that are located at 400 meters above sea level. The color is as dark as Guinness Stout with a nose chock full of crushed blackberry, violet, mineral, cinnamon and smoke that come from its location rather than oak. Dense with rather stylish tannins and a formidable core of fruit. Serious stuff that possesses a finish that fans out in the mouth like a peacock's tail I recommend enjoying it over the next several years with hearty dishes. I promise, this is unlike any Dolcetto experience that you have ever had.

A few years back we tapped into the main vein of this Calabria-based Southern Italian producer. We have featured a number of their very traditional, hearty, offerings, which are all extremely good but it’s the Serra Sanguigna that gives me devious thoughts of boarding a plane and heading off to take the oath and join the ‘ndrangheta (Calabria's mafia).

Serran Sanguigna is a small hillside located in the northern sector of the somewhat obscure but excellent Ciro region. Composed of 70% Gaglioppo (Calabira’s most important varietal, think of warm-climate Nebbiolo) along with 15% Malvasia Nera and 15% Greco Nero, this robust red offers up savory scents of plum, tobacco, saline, anise, sage and plenty of peppercorn and a sneaky undertone of pekoe that creeps in on the tail end. Mouth coating, impressive earth and spice throughout as well as plenty of vibrancy and lift. Drawn out, very soulful and Italian in flavor, this wine will pair well with spicy tomato-based dishes, especially a penne pasta done with an arrabiata sauce.