While my love affair with French wines will never fizzle and fade away, there is another country whose wines excite my palate and make me smile.  We are talking about Italy!

When David and I got married in 2007, my wine knowledge went as far as, “Ohhh – this is really delicious. Or, “Ohhhh – I do not want to have another sip of that!” Our honeymoon was one month touring around Italy with the first stop being Venice. We fell in love with the city, the people and getting lost down tiny alleyways.

During our month in Italy, we spent time in Verona ( I think for two nights ) where we met a lovely lady who invited us to her home and offered us a glass of ‘red wine’ (again – my vocabulary at the time). Verona exceeded all of my expectations and I am drawn to this region and know we will return again.

When I am in an adventurous wine mood and cruising through the wine shops and liquor stores I visit, I usually end up in the ‘Italy’ section.  For one, I don’t know nearly enough about Italian wines so I feel I can expand on my knowledge when I purchase a new bottle.  And, truth be told, I am seldom disappointed with my selection as is the case with this weeks’ choice.

Monte del Frà Bardolino 2018 Veneto, Italy DOC is a cheeky little number full of flavour and crunch.  It is bright ruby red in the glass and it almost looks electric (in a good way). It is a zippy blend of native Italian grape varieties – 65% Corvina, 30% Rondinella and 5% Sangiovese. The vineyards are planted on terrain that was shaped by glaciers and live in mineral-rich terroir which is beautifully expressed in this wine.

The flavour profile is bright, dry and full of red cherry, fresh strawberry and raspberry fruit alongside a top note of dusty clay minerality and a finish that is reminiscent of dried oregano and black pepper.  There are crunchy tannins and a good amount of balanced acidity – talk about a perfect pairing for your tomato-based Italian dishes!

Monte del Frà Bardolino is an incredible value at $16.99 at your local B.C. Liquor Stores.

Enjoy!

XO
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