Monte Tondo, 2018 Heart Collection Garganega, and 2016 Rosso, both $29.75

Winery info: Monte Tondo has been producing wine for three generations in the northern Italian hills of Soave. Today, winemakers Gino Magnabosco and his daughter Marta are making some of the most exciting and vibrant wines in the Veneto region. This month we present a matched set: a red and a white from their “Heart Collection” — produced in hand-made bottles with special tissue paper (white) and wood (red) labels.

Grapes: White: 100% Garganega. Red: 80% Cab Sauv and 20% Merlot, from fruit that has been dried, appassimento-style, for 20 days. Aged 12 months in oak.
Both are made with spontaneous fermentation and natural yeast.

Vineyard: Sourced from their prime vineyard sites on volcanic soil in the Veneto region.

Flavor Profile: White: Clean yet powerful, with loads of flinty minerality and flavors of white flowers and citrus. Very complex and richly textured, with a long finish.
Red: Beautifully rich and aromatic, with notes of blueberry, cocoa, and sage.

Availability: As direct import wines, very little is available beyond what we ordered in the spring.

Drinkability: Both are ready to drink now, although the red could age for another year or two.

Food Pairing: White: Asiago or fontina cheese, crab legs, fresh oysters, or mushroom risotto.
Red: Peppered beef stew, tortellini with marinara sauce, pork roast, or braised beef served with polenta

2016 Cordero di Montezemolo, Nebbiolo, $29.75

Winery info: The Montezemolo family, originally from Spain, settled in the northern Italian Piedmont region in the 1400s. In 1918 they became united with the Falletti family (proprietors of the winemaking estate of Monfalletto) through marriage. Sadly, that young couple died, leaving behind an orphaned son, Paolo Cordero di Montezemolo. Paolo was raised by his maternal grandmother, the Marchioness Luigia Falletti and, upon her death in 1941, he inherited the entire Monfalletto estate in La Morra, in the heart of the Barolo production zone. Today his sons, Giovanni and Enrico, run the estate.

Grapes: 100% Nebbiolo, aged in oak casks.

Vineyard: From younger vines in their Barolo vineyards in La Morra.

Flavor Profile: Bright and ripe, with aromas of raspberry and violet, and medium-bodied, robust flavors of dark fruit. The tannins are soft and balanced.

Availability: The distributor still has some of this vintage in stock.

Drinkability: Enjoy it now, or over the next three to five years.

Food Pairing: The winery suggests pairing it with agnolotti (small ravioli) with ragu, risotto, fettucine, or meat dishes from lamb to poultry.