What’s your favourite own brand Italian red? Let’s imagine it’s going to be paired with something vaguely Italian - pasta, tomato based (perhaps lasagne, bolognese or meatballs).
I’m deliberately limiting the options to exclude exhibition wines. Ordinary own brand only. £10 ish or less.
You can only pick one, but would love to hear any additional nuance in the comments!
I voted the Sicilian, but to be open, I have not tried the Valpolicella or Chianti. My first vintage of the Sicilian was the 2014, which was exceptional for the money. I’ve bought it for my dad ever since and think I’ve tasted all the following vintages. it’s never the fruit-laden blockbuster you might think it could be.
I voted for the Valpoliocella - an absolute favourite, which I’ve been buying since joining TWS. Well-made, quaffable, delicious on its own - but a fab food wine (and not just with Italian fayre). Excellent vfm.
I voted for the wine I’ve bought most, the Sicilian, but they are all good examples, the Valpol especially. It’s a lovely drop that has the advantage of keeping pretty well under vacuvin for at least a couple of days.
All the Italian own labels are good and good value, but I voted for the Montepulciano of which we have a bottle every week when at home with pasta. It’s become a no-brainer™.
I’ve bought it every year – certainly since 2004 vintage which when I started recording purchases on CT. Although y records showed no 2009, it seems that vintagee was skipped because I bought so much of the previous vintages.
An advantage of having a wine that you know you’ll not tire of is that you can go large when there’s an offer on it and once or sometimes twice a year this wine has been discounted in a supplier supported deal so I get two or three cases of it…
Shame it’s got a plastic bung though instead of a screw cap.
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