As you probably know, one of our favorite places to find interesting Italian wines is our local wine boutique, Biondivino. They carry an amazing selection and have personal relationships with many small production winemakers in Italy (for example, our recent trip to Monteraponi). We always love pinot and pink bubbles at Thanksgiving, but this year we’ve asked them to share with us their recommendations for the best Italian Thanksgiving wines. If you don’t live in San Francisco, you can still get your hands on these amazing wines! Biondivino ships their wines all over the country.
Below are four perfect wines for Thanksgiving with tasting notes from Biondivino.
Gino Pedrotti Nosiola, Alto Adige, 2015
So often one needs to choose between precision and richness, but not here. Limes, lime pith, subtle tropical fruit, orange rind, toasted hazelnut first; saline kelp-iness and immense mineral presence, all in a cozy, soothing, silken package. An alpine gem in its element!
Aldo Viola ‘Saignee’ Rosato, Sicily, 2016
Is it a lighter red? Is it a rosé? Is it a little bit of both? Who cares…. jam this thing in the fridge for 15 minutes and enjoy the fruits of Aldo Viola’s Nerello Mascalese-based labors. Red Twizzler, meets cranberry sauce, meets the last of fall’s sunny days.
Mortellito ‘Calaniuru’ Vino Rosso, Sicily, 2016
Come see the softer side of…. Nero d’Avola. Super fresh, super soft, super plush and a little wild; ripe little red fruits and a touch of initial spritz strengthened by some red tea-like structure and aromatic savoriness (thanks to whole cluster fermentation.) This is the turkey-ace up our sleeve.
Vittorio Graziano ‘Ripa di Sopravento’ Bianco Frizzante, Emilia-Romagna, 2015
From the hands of cult Lambrusco veteran Vittorio Graziano, a journey a way from the red towards the white (Trebbiano, plus some native companions) reaps great reward. Fresh hay, asparagus, cut grass – vibrant and razor sharp with a levity that will lift the dinner-table spirits of even the most combative and moody relatives.
