Tasting notes, April 2, 2022: Wines of Central Italy

                     Central Italy

2020 Famiglia Cotarella
Falesco “Le Poggere”
On sale for $9.99
Montefiascone / Italy
50% Trebbiano, 30% Malvasia, 20% Roscetto
A modern take on the classic Est! Est!! Est!!! denomination, the Cotarella family fashions this bright, fresh white from a 50-year-old vineyard.
2020 Torre Beati
Pecorino Giocheremo con Fori
On Sale for $19.99
Abruzzo / Italy
100% Pecorino
Pecorino is a varietal found almost exclusively in the central Italian district of Abruzzo and is adored by local growers for its firm acids and full texture. Grower Fausto Albanesi produces this bottling from estate fruit which is fermented and aged in stainless steel. 
2020 Tavignano Barbarossa
On sale for $15.99
Marche / Italy
100% Lacrima di Morro d’Alba
The local Lacrima di Morro d’Alba grape variety offers a vivid floral character of violet and rose. Medium bodied and dry, this is a rare red that can pair well with spicy cuisine.
2019 Tavignano Rosso Piceno “Cervidone”
On sale for $12.99
Marche / Italy
70% Montepulciano, 30% Sangiovese
Sourced from vineyards 20 miles to the west of the Adriatic, the vines employed for the Cervidone are planted in a combination of sand and stone. Fresh, red fruited and intended for enjoyment in its youth.
2016 Valle Reale Vigneto di Popoli
On sale for $19.99
Abruzzo / Italy
100% Montepulciano
100% Montepulciano from old vines planted at high elevation in the heart of Abruzzo. The Popoli vineyards are among Valle Reale’s most prized, being blessed with a notably cooler climate than most others in the area.  
2018 Famiglia Cotarella
Sodale Rosso
$25.00 btl
Lazio / Italy
100% Merlot
Aged for 9 months in French oak (a portion new), the Sodale Rosso is a young, forward style of Merlot from Cotarella. Cheerful aromas and flavors of chocolate, plum and warm earth inform this silky red.