Italian Wine Tasting
Friday, January 3rd
Le Petit Bijou
Montepulciano, Montalcino, Chianti
Barbera, Frizzante, & More!
Call 256-964-7980 to Reserve
Italian Wine Tasting
Le Petit Bijou
Friday, January 3rd
4pm - 6pm, $20
With Special Guest, Beth Farris of Grassroots
256-964-7980 to Reserve
2022 Il Folicello Rosato Frizzante Ancestrale, Emilia-Romagna, Italy $24.99
Antonella and Marco Folicello have run their farm and winery in Castelfranco, in the heart of Emilia-Romagna, since the 1980s. The hand harvested grapes used for this rosato are certified organic Lambrusco di Sorbara and Salamino. The wine is made with the ancestral method: refermented in bottle, no disgorgement or filtration. Vibrant pink in the glass, with aromas and flavors of pomegranate, cranberry, cherry Popsicle, mint, and dried thyme. Light-bodied and bright, with juicy fruit on the palate underscored by a linear acidity. Plays nicely with any kind of fish, chicken, or pork.
NV Il Farneto Giandon Red Blend, Emilia-Romagna, Italy $19.99
Il Farneto Giandon Rosso is a natural wine from the Emilia-Romagna region in Italy, made with a blend of Malbo Gentile, Lambrusco, and Marzemino grapes. Grown organically and biodynamically, these varieties thrive in the region's clay-limestone soils. The winemaking process involves spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts, without filtration or fining. A small amount of sulfites is added only for stability during transport, ensuring the wine maintains its natural character.
Why we like it
Rich flavors of black cherry, plum, and forest floor, complemented by a subtle balsamic note. Its medium body and balanced acidity make it an easy-drinking, yet complex wine.
2021 Atilia Montepulciano D'Abruzzo, Italy $19.99
From grapes organically grown on 30-50-year-old vines that were hand-harvested and fermented with wild yeast for 2 weeks on the skins. This wine is dark, mature, and tangy in all the best ways. A good hint of acidity with a touch of cocoa on the finish.
Tasting Notes: Notes of herbs, currants, black cherry, and cocoa.
Pair with Barbecue, Pizza, Charcuterie.
2022 Cesani Chianti Colli Senesi, Tuscany, Italy $18.99
Located on an enviable hillside above the town of San Gimignano, the Cesani family grows grapes, olives, saffron, produces wine, organic beauty products, olive oil, distills grappa and maintains a bustling agritourism business. Their Vernaccia bottlings are lauded annually by Slow Food and Gambero Rosso and yet it's their Chianti from naturally fermented, organic Sangiovese that may be the estate's hidden gem.
2022 La Miraja Barbera d'Asti, Piedmont, Italy $24.99
Nestled within the original castle of Castagnole Monferrato, La Miraja was constructed as an armory in the 11th century, only to be retrofitted as a cellar in the 1400s. In this armory-turned-cellar, Eugenio Gatti, a seventh-generation viticulturist, is vinifying some great Piedmontese wines, including Barbera, Grignolino, and Ruché.
With its name, this Barbera d'Asti pay homage to “Le Masche,” local spirits believed to be protectors of the vineyard. Eugenio's Barbera is a textbook example of Barbera from Asti, where the grape often produces its most complex expressions- medium-bodied wine marries freshness and elegance, resulting in an uncommonly complex Barbera bottling with a gentle finish.
2022 Ciacci Piccolomi d'Aragona Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany $32.99
Ciacci Piccolomini is one of the most sought-after producers in all of Italy. This ancient estate has 35 hectares of superior holdings in the prized Castelnuovo dell’Abate zone, including the ‘Pianrosso’ vineyard (meaning ‘red field,’ a reference to the iron rich soils) and the ‘Fonte’ vineyard, which produces grapes for the Rosso di Montalcino.
Often considered the “younger sibling” to the more structured Brunello, the Rosso di Montalcino is also produced from 100% Sangiovese grapes. Red berries (raspberries, wild strawberries) with hints of flowers, citrus and spice on the nose open to a medium-bodied palate, with nice structure and fine tannins. Though the Rosso can age quite well, this red is immediately approachable, an enjoyable wine to drink now while the Brunello waits patiently in the cellar