This wine is a combination of ancient land and modern technology. It’s from the more upscale line of wines called Vinea Domini, a division of the Gotto d’Oro wine cooperative in the province of Lazio. This is near Rome, in the center of Italy, a region where wines have been produced for over 2,000 years. A lake and river nearby cool the Vinea Domini vineyards in the hot summer, and provide plenty of water in the subsoil; the earth there is also rich in potassium and organic matter.
The 2019 Vinea Domini Roma DOC Rosso is a bright, charming, unassuming wine. It’s made from a typical grape blend in the region: at least half Montepulciano, with a little Sangiovese. The wine has a big, fruity aroma suggestive of cherry and blood orange. It is rustically fresh on the palate, with hints of black and red cherries. Plenty of tannin in the wine argues for drinking it with a hearty dinner of Roman specialties such as artichokes, oxtail stew, sweetbreads and other local, country-style dishes.
WHO: Vinea Domini by Gotto d’Oro
WHAT: Montepulciano, with some Sangiovese
WHERE: Lazio, Italy
HOW MUCH: around $15
RATING: 90
