With the natural wine movement in full swing, there are a number of producers who we feel straddle the line between old world flavors and a new world philosophy, with winemaker Luca Amerio being one of them.
Tenuta il Nespolo is 100% hands-off in the vineyard, allowing the vines to grow vigorously and using minimal amounts of copper and sulfur only when needed, yet we wouldn’t necessarily shelve their delicious new blend of Barbera, Freisa, and Sangiovese in our natural wine section. It’s one of the most classic tasting Italian wines we’ve added to our department this year; it just so happens that it also adheres to the non-interventionist school of thought.
In the 1980s, Luca’s grandfather planted a small vineyard to Sangiovese near the Piedmont village of Asti, which flourishes in limestone-clay soils. This vineyard inspired a wine called “Vino da Sete”—a fleshy, fruity, and utterly-crushable take on the French vin de soif or a wine you drink when you’re thirsty. With all the varietals co-fermented, the flavors melded together right from the start and the palate is seamless from front to back. Medium-bodied with dark fruit and a freshness on the finish, you’ll be hard-pressed not to finish the bottle immediately.
If you’re still firing up the grill in these late days of summer, we couldn’t think of a better pairing for burgers than this. It’s also the perfect spaghetti and meatballs wine. Throw a chill on it and it pretty much pairs with anything, from Indian, to Mediterranean, to Chinese. At just $21.99 for a LITER, it’s the ultimate bang for your buck.
