Staff Pick Italian Wines
Next time you’re browsing our Italian wine selection, come prepared with a tip from our plugged in staff. They recommend northern Italian deals, skin-contact points of entry, and superior options for special occasions.
Lagrein, Muri Gries – 2020 $18.96
An affordable delicious red wine from the northeastern part of Italy. Lagrein is a traditional local variety of Sud Tyrol. Dark berries, herbal notes, and earthiness are the main characteristics of this wine. The slightly resinous full body adds complexity to it. Velvety and elegant! – Andrea Fraccari, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Dolcetto d’ Alba, Roagna – 2019 $21.96
If you’ve ever asked me to direct you to some deals in the Northern Italy section at Astor, you’ll know it’s my tendency to show you the second or third wines from the great Barolo and Barbaresco producers. In this case, Roagna (known for world-class, highly sought after Barbaresco) also makes an excellent bottle of Dolcetto, from 50-year-old vines in their Pajè and Carso vineyards, for a weeknight price. This is classic, light-bodied, black-fruited Dolcetto, but with structure, lift, and nuance you don’t usually find in this varietal. Give it a slight chill, some time to breathe, and serve up with eggplant parmesan—it’s a low price of entry to experience this level of winemaking. – Chris Balla, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Gamay, Grosjean Frères – 2020 $21.96
Abundant aromatic profile of violets, mountain lilacs, and alpine herbs. A purity of fruit with ripe strawberries, raspberry, cranberry, and pomegranate with a strong minerality reminiscent of crushed granite. The 5 day skin maceration adds a beautiful and refined tannic structure while high-elevation vines keep this wine elegant and fresh. – Matt Goodyear, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Calcarius “Orange” – NV $21.99
It’s my first recommendation for anyone’s initiation into Orange Wine. It grasps the essences of skin contact while retaining its freshness and energy. You’ll find flavors of baking spice and citrus fruits laced into a core of mineral and salinity. Smartly bottled in a liter, as it is immensely crushable. – Chung Park, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Etna Rosso ValCerasa, Bonaccorsi – 2015 $29.96
It seems eons ago that I went on holiday to Sicily but I remember our last night there, watching the lava glow from the top of Mt. Etna as we drank wine produced on its slopes. This wine brings that moment back with its outstanding blend of fruit, spice, and smoke from an 80/20 blend of Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio. An incredible value for the price, I hope it brings some of Etna’s fire to one of your nights very soon. Simon Gouldstone, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Pico Angiolino Maule, La Biancara – 2018 $31.96
Before he was a winemaker, Angiolino Maule was a pizzaiolo and there is little that could make me trust his tastes more. He grows exceptional Garganega in the volcanic soils just outside of Soave, and while this wine is low sulfur, organic, and sees 2 weeks of skin contact, it is not funky or oxidative; you might hesitate to even call it an orange wine. What you will find is a concentrated, beautifully pure expression of terroir with aromas of dried apricot, tangerine peel, wildflower honey, and spice, turning to deep minerality and a touch of grip on the finish. – Jon Miner, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Barbera d’Alba Superiore, Gigi Bianco – 2016 $44.96
It’s easy to categorize Barbera as an inexpensive everyday wine, but the designation on this label says it all. Gigi Bianco’s Barbera d’Alba is superior in every sense of the word.It’s juicy, structured, delicious now, but built for aging. You can’t go wrong no matter what you choose to do with this bottle. – Bambi Ray, Sales Manager