Our October Case of the Month is a celebration of Italian wines.
This handpicked selection showcases the diversity of Italy's winemaking, featuring a range of reds, whites, and sparkling wines from various regions. Each wine is not just food-friendly, but also boasts unique textures, complex flavors, and earthy undertones, making them approachable yet distinctive. This collection offers a captivating journey through Italy's terroirs and winemaking traditions.
Case of the Month Highlights
2021 La Fortuna "Fortunello" Rosso Toscano
In 1907, the Zannoni family started as sharecroppers at Tenuta La Fortuna, a farm in the hills of Montalcino, located about 40 km southeast of Siena in Tuscany. In 1965, they bought the farm and planted Sangiovese vines.
This was around the time when the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG was established, and the Zannoni family played a key role in its development. This region is known for its mature Sangiovese wines that are smooth, bold, and more refined than the blends of Chianti.
While La Fortuna is primarily known for producing Brunello, they still make about 15,000 bottles of declassified Sangiovese, labeled "Fortunello," every year. You can enjoy the wine's rich red fruit and herbal qualities for a great price of $19 at the Bottle Shop, or check it out in our October case of the month!
2022 Deltetto Roero Arneis "Daivej"
This versatile Piedmont white wine from Deltetto is made from the Arneis grape and is named to honor the region's ancestry – "dai vej" means "the old ones" in Piedmontese. Roero, located north of Alba on the left bank of the Tanaro River, is best known for producing Arneis.
This wine offers supple apple blossom and earthy-honey notes balanced with bright limestone minerality from the region's alluvial soils.
Carra 2020 Valpolicella Ripasso
The Biscardo family has been associated with their export business since 1987. Through their company, Biscardo Selections, they aim to showcase what Italy offers. Their portfolio includes wines from sustainable, biodynamic, organic, and family-run estates.
They provide wholesale and produce wine in Veneto, such as the Ripasso Valpolicella, a tribute to patriarch Pompilio Biscardo. "Ripasso" refers to a winemaking method in which a fermented Valpolicella wine undergoes a second fermentation process on the dried skins of Corvina and Rondinella grapes, used initially to make Amarone wine. This process gives the wine a warm, dried fruit character, transforming it from its previously fresh, fruity state and resulting in more plush and luxurious tannins.
This Ripasso would pair excellently with an Autumnal stew!
Lo Triolet 2022 Gamay
When we think of Gamay Noir, we typically think of the juicy and rustic wines from the Beaujolais region of France. However, this wine is quite different and is produced high up in the Italian Alps, to the east of Beaujolais in Valle d'Aoste.
The grapes are destemmed, and the wine is aged for 8 months in temperature-controlled stainless steel. This wine offers a wonderful and pure expression of the Gamay berry, with tons of lively red fruits and anise framed by warm, herbal tannins that reflect the Alpine landscape of the Valle d'Aoste.
This medium-bodied and fresh Gamay makes it perfect for an October fondue night or a savory roast.
La Capranera 2021 Fiano
The Fiano grapes used to make this wine were harvested from vineyards in Campania's Cilento National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site composed of sloping hillsides and crystal blue rivers that lead to the jagged Tyrrhenian coastline.
This landscape has been home to human settlements and civilization for around 250,000 years. Here, humanity continues to interact with nature, and this crisp and playful Fiano is a wonderful expression of this relationship.
This white wine is sustainably made with indigenous fruit. It tastes like tart apple candies and sea air and would pair beautifully with seafood and veggies.
The black goat on the label pays homage to the grazing mountain goats of the region, who have watched over centuries of humanity and served as a reminder to enjoy the bounty of the landscape in front of us and to keep climbing, no matter how rugged the terrain.
Pieropan 2023 Soave Classico
"Soave" is a wine region in Veneto (northeastern Italy) known for fresh, vibrant, and low-acid white wines made primarily from the Garganega grape.
The Pieropan family has made their home in the 15th Century Pullici Palace for the last 250 years. They have been producing their iconic Soave Classico here since the early 20th Century, with Garganega and Trebbiano di Soave grapes grown on their estate.
This dry white wine is bright with stone fruit, melon, and floral notes, with enough green-fruit acid to not overwhelm. Its slender green bottle and classic yellow label conjure generations of aperitivo hours in sundrenched courtyards with Castelvetrano olives, marinated veggies, and cheeses and at only 12% ABV, there's still room for a bottle of Amarone with dinner!
Cantele 2022 Primitivo
Looking for a great wine to pair with pizza? Check out the Cantele Primitivo from Puglia, Southern Italy!
Primitivo has a long history in Puglia, dating back to the late 19th Century. It's the same grape that arrived in California and became known as Zinfandel.
This medium-bodied red wine has aromas of tart red and candied black cherries, herbal qualities and warmly spiced tannins. It's a versatile wine that pairs well with food or can be enjoyed on its own.