Bella Sera – True Italian Wines

It has been a long time since Italian wines were the vogue. Their time was the 1960’s when Chianti was king. Every bistro, pizzeria and college dorm room had the ever present straw covered Chianti bottle as a candle holder, resplendent with multicolored melted wax drippings. As the 60’s departed so did the Chianti rage. It was not that the wine had changed; it was the wine drinker’s preferences that changed. American’s discovered California white wines and they reigned supreme during the 1970’s, Italian wine languished in almost obscurity finding their place mostly in Italian-American homes and restaurants. The resurgence began in the 1990’s when American’s discovered pinot grigio and Asti Spumanti.

Today, Italian wines are again being appreciated by serious amateurs and casual wine drinkers alike. While they still make their loved Chianti, Italian winemakers have broadened their spectrum to include the popular varieties as well as continuing to use the traditional native varieties and in some cases combining them. One of these combinations, cabernet sauvignon and the native sangiovese, are called Super Tuscans and are a current favorite among the wine aficionados. There is however one thing that has not changed and that is the ability of an Italian wine to bring a smile to ones face and occasionally, a song to the lips.

Bella Sera 2008 Chianti ($7.99). This wine is a picture perfect Chianti, with all of the flavors and aromas that made Chianti an international favorite but without the classical straw basket bottle. It is a big and robust wine that despite all of its power, maintains a soft velvet-like character. The wine has a complex fruit aroma with the accent on plums and cherries. The flavor exhibits the same plum and cherry elements, which mingles with sweet raisins and just the slightest hint of oak. As you may well imagine, this wine will go well with Italian foods, but it should not be relegated solely to that niche, it will fit well wherever a red wine is called for.
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Bella Sera 2009 Veneto Pinot Grigio ($7.99). Veneto is the district of Italy that is the home of the canal city of Venice and also the pinot grigio grape. This wine is the quintessential pinot grigio and embodies all of the beauties that the grape can offer. It is crystal clear, pale straw in color and has an aroma reminiscent of summer wild flowers and fresh Bosc pears. These aromas carry over to the flavor and linger in the mouth long after the wine has been finished. This is an excellent pinot grigio that can accompany a wide variety of foods but is a standout with shrimp or mild cheese based dishes.

Bella Sera 2009 Merlot ($7.99). The Bella Sera 2009 Merlot originates in the high mountain region of Sicily and beats the normal odds for quality grape from a hot climate. This wine is soft, with none of the harsh elements that usually have to be aged away, because there is nothing harsh to be aged away. The wine displays flavors and aromas of black cherries and blackberries with a hint of vanilla in the background and a fascinating earthy under flavor. This earthy component adds another layer of character to the wine. This wine is a real winner and an interesting departure from the “others.”

Bella Sera 2009 Moscato ($7.99). Wine made from moscato grapes have been prized in Italy since 2000 BC. The Bella Sera 2009 Moscato is not that old but it upholds the ancient tradition of the moscato style of wine; sweet, full bodied and super fruity. This wine has an inviting golden color, a huge, almost explosive jasmine like aroma and a bigger than life tropical fruit flavor of ripe peach, apricot, and a hint of citrus which carries over to the extraordinarily long and fruit filled finish. This is the perfect wine to end a meal as the desert or with desert. Either way this wine is a sure hit.