I remember trying my first Sagrantinos back in the very early aughts, while working in a Manhattan wine store that sold exclusively Italian wines. These Sagrantino wines have evolved with time, taste and climate change. These wines are more approachable than I recall those early aughts wines to be, even though those Caprai wines were overall highly accessible vis-à-vis the otherwise fiercely grippy Sagrantino situation. Today, it is easy that taste that these two wines will provide pleasure now and in years far beyond. Moreover, their age-worthiness-to-price ratio is downright striking considering the price of peer-worthy Piedmontese and Tuscan gems that could age as long.
Read MoreToday is my last full day in Rome, so it seemed appropriate to share a few notes on the wines of Paolo e Noemia d'Amico, whose vineyards lie just 90 minutes north of The Eternal City. The duo's range includes five whites and four reds sourced from their property edged by extinct volcanos. The vineyard soils are tufa, as are the cellars. Paolo and Noemia, engaging in their second career together - this time in winemaking, began planting their vines here in 1985.
Read MoreThis magenta-inflected, rose-colored wine drinks more like a light red than most rosatos. So, I’m a fan of serving it only gently chilled.
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