Uncorked: Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d’ Acqui DOCG & Isabel Mondavi I’M Rose
Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d’ Acqui DOCG
When people ask me what wine I’d recommend for a first time wine drinker, I recommend Rosa Regale because everyone loves this semisweet red sparkling wine.
This rare Brachetto was reincarnated when the Mariani family purchased the mid-18th century winery in 1979. Legend has it that both Julius Caesar and Marc Antony brought several gourds of the Brachetto wines back from the Piedmont area of Italy and then presented it to Cleopatra. The empress had her lovers drink the wine to unleash their passion.
The tasting notes from Banfi describe this sparkling wine as having “a vibrant cranberry color and floral fragrance with hints of raspberry and strawberry flavors. This sparkling wine is perfect as an aperitif, during dinner and elegant dessert wine that pairs well with chocolate.” It’s perfect for any occasion. It retails for $19.99.
Isabel Mondavi I’M Rose
The I’M Rose wine was made by Michael Mondavi for his wife Isabel so she could enjoy with friends and family. At first, only a few cases were made but word got out, and now it can be enjoyed by wine lovers everywhere. Isabel wanted wines from her favorite varietals, growing regions and wine styles for their pure enjoyment. Her son Rob crafted this I’M Rose from Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon fruit. This deep I’M Rose has a nice complex blend of Cabernets from their own prized vineyards in Atlas Peak, Rutherford and Howell Mountain.
Isabel and her daughter Dina worked together on the label design, a reproduction of a painting by Marilyn Sommer, one of Isabel’s favorite artists. As you can see the I’M wines are truly a family affair.
This I’M Rose is a food-friendly wine that can be paired with a wide variety of dishes from salmon, turkey, spicy Thai cuisine and dark chocolates. An excellent aperitif, this wine will also serve well as a patio wine or enjoyed with a friend on a picnic blanket this spring or summer. It retails for $9.99.
You can find or ask for these wines at your favorite Acme Fresh Markets, Buehler’s Fresh Foods, Fisher Foods, Giant Eagle, Heinen’s, Papa Joe’s, Mustard Seed Market, Regency Wines, West Point Market, 750 ml or your favorite wine retailer in the Greater Akron area.
Wine Wisdom – Wine contains alcohol, alcohol dehydrates the body, and dehydration causes headaches. When drinking wine, consume one glass of water or more for each glass of wine.
/ Rick Rodger is a manager at Heidelberg Distributing Company.