top quality wine brands
We Americans are raised almost from birth with an intimate knowledge of our country’s various fast food selections. Even small details like the difference between a Wendy’s, McDonalds, and White Castle burger—square, $1, guaranteed stomachache, respectively—are ingrained in our cultural food knowledge.That’s how Italians are with wine. A native Italian does not drink cocktails or beer or soda for dinner, he drinks wine—or so boasted my hosts on a recent trip to three-Michelin-star restaurant La Pergola, located at the top of the Rome Cavalieri Hotel. Keep this field blank Enter your email address You may unsubscribe at any time. La Pergola’s chief sommelier Marco Reitano—who this year received the title of best sommelier from Italy’s gourmet guide Identità Golose—is an expert among experts. The La Pergola cellar is home to 3,000 labels—all of which has been tasted and then purchased either by his staff or Reitano himself. “Our selection has representation from each Italian region, representation from every type of Italian grape, and it’s also representative of world wines,” Reitano explains.
We asked Reitano for the 10 best Italian wines, and we gave him a catch: They all had to be available for purchase in the United States either in a wine shop or by mail order. Here are his picks.Cà del Bosco Franciacorta Annamaria ClementiThis wine from Northern Italy is full-bodied with notes of citrus and a refreshing finish—perfect for an Italian-style special occasion dinner. “It’s often compared to the French Dom Perignon,” Reitano says.Pair with: Parma ham or spaghetti carbonaraBuy online: $65.19; Villa Raiano Fiano di AvellinoItaly’s Campania region isn’t only famous for its gulfs and the gastronomic town of Naples. It’s also known for the strong-flavored white Fiano grape, which is grown almost exclusively in Southern Italy. “This 100% Fiano from the southern Campania region is dry, refreshing, and mineral, with apple and walnut flavors,” describes Reitano.Pair with: Mushroom risottoBuy online: $203.88 per case; Venica Ronco delle CimeClosely related to a sauvignon blanc, the Friulano grape is one of the oldest vines in Italy’s northern Fruili region.
(It also goes by the name Sauvignonasse and Sauvignon Vert.) Dry and fruity with an herbal finish.Pair with: Sea bass carpaccio or sautéed clamsBuy online: $30.50; Pieropan Soave Classico La RoccaIf you’re browsing your local shop for a bottle on this list, look for this common label. “With exotic flavors and a rich body, this is among the most long-aging Italian white wines,” Reitano says. It’s pressed from 100% garganega grapes, local from the Veneto region.Pair with: Grilled lobster or scallops saladBuy online: $42.22; Giacomo Conterno Barolo MonfortinoIt’s only appropriate that this wine from old vines is “probably the most long aging Italian red wine,” according to Reitano. Monfortino is a classic Barolo-style wine—designed to be aged in casks for many years and made with native Italian nebbiolo grapes. What’s the payoff of patience (and the hefty price tag)? A deep, mineral flavor with wildberry and spices.Pair with: White truffle ravioli or grilled lambBuy online: $399;
Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Poggio all’OroAs every beginning student of wine knows, every vintage has its own characteristics.
top wine producers usaSo what’s a vintner to do when certain year’s weather doesn’t cooperate?
best selling wine world wideThey don’t sell it.
wine for sale in new jerseyThat’s why you’ll only see this available in specific vintages—and why you can trust that any bottle will be of the highest quality.
50 best red wines for summerThe taste: “Power and balance with a lot of fruit and soft tannins.”Pair with: T-bone steakBuy online: $109.99; Donnafugata Passito di Pantelleria Ben RyèIf you like sweet wines, try this sugar-rich red from the small island of Pantelleria in Sicily.
“The wine has a dense body with lots of dry fruit flavors,” Reitano describes.Pair with: CannoliBuy online: $44.99; Incisa della Rocchetta SassicaiaReitano calls this Bordeaux-style blend from the coast of Tuscany “the king of Italian wines.” It’s known as a Super Tuscan wine—a Chianti-style wine that didn’t technically meet Italy’s strict regulations to be officially labelled as Chianti.Pair with: Baked pigeon, chicken, or game henBuy it: Available at specialty wine shops for around $80/bottleBest Sweet Red and White Wine Not every wine brand that has a bottle of sweet red wine and a bottle of sweet white wine in their collection of majority dry wines can be trusted enough to have the best sweet red and white wine out there. While they may be tasty, it is best to find a brand that specializes in and is known for their collection of wines that are all, or at least majority, sweet wines. One promising brand that has really stood out among its competitors is Stella Rosa Wines.
Stella Rosa attracts many nods as holder of the best sweet red and white wines of all that are in the market right now. Stella Rosa Rosso is the original wine of the brand. It’s a red wine and has won numerous awards. Stella Rosa Black and Stella Rosa Red are the other two red wines and while they are the brand’s two newest wines that were introduced in the last year and a half, they have both been highly praised. The best sweet white wine of Stella Rosa is perhaps their Prosecco or Moscato D’Asti, but that is followed closely by the other white wines in the brand. Like Stella Rosa Rosso, they each have won many awards at various competitive wine competitions. Known for its entire collection being great-tasting, high quality, yet affordable sweet wine, Stella Rosa Wines is the leader of the semi-sweet, frizzante category. In the Nielsen Italian Category, the Stella Rosa brand ranks #4, and 7 of the best sweet red and white wines of the brand land in the top 41 of the Nielsen Italian Category.