As many of you know by now, I was in Italy on a three-week trip through Rome and several wine regions. Although I was not taking notes on most of the wines I tried as those were in social situations and I didn’t want to be that guy. Eventually, I did manage to scribble down some notes and here are a few bottles that I enjoyed.

After three days on Lago d’Iseo, I left the Franciacorta wine region and headed west and south, to Alba, the center of the Piedmontese wine region. There, I got some good riding in and also tried some of the wines that many of the locals drink.

2023 Bruna Grimaldi Bonurei, Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC, Italy: Restaurant 25€. It was my last night in Alba and I returned to Osteria del Sognatori, where I had been a couple of nights before and it was amazing. Tonight was equally so, but instead of leaving my wine choice up to the owner, I opted for this wine based on the recommendation of my new friend(?), Marco Riva, winemaker in Roero. Whoa. I always thought of appellations like “Nebbiolo d’Alba” as the redheaded stepchildren to the more renowned regions like Barbaresco and Barolo. Well, this beauty will certainly help put that myth to rest. Sure, this might not be able to age like its more esteemed neighbors, but I doubt those B&B wines from the same vintage are drinking as beautifully now. Medium to dark color with rich red fruit, touches of earth, and even a bit of cola thrown in for fun, this wine is incredibly inviting on the nose. And the palate does not disappoint. Fruity, lively, and, yes, rich, this is a complex, delightful red at an everyday(ish) price. Yowza and holy cow. I am so stoked that I will be visiting the winery tomorrow afternoon! Outstanding. 94 Points.

NV Bellavista Alma Gran Cuvée Brut, Franciacorta DOC, Italy: Retail 22€. “Mostly Chardonnay, with some Pinot Noir.” It is a long story, but I was in Italy for three weeks, and I spent some of that time in Franciacorta. On the first day there, I bought this at the local grocery store and figured I would have that pretty soon thereafter. Well, I finally popped this on the verge of returning to the US and well, I am a fan. Sure, it is not champagne (and in my opinion, it is in Franciacorta’s best interest to stop the comparison by any means necessary), but from my short experience in the region, where Franciacorta excels is by championing the fruit. And this has it in abundance. A whole host of aromas on the nose: citrus, mandarine, apricot, and pear, to name a few, with just a hint of that yeastiness that one associates with the method. The palate is big, but still elegant, with much of that aforementioned fruit (albeit preserved or almost jammy), more than adequate tartness, and a certain attitude that is alluring. I am no expert on the region (although I could see myself headed that way), but my advice to Franciacorta? Stop trying to get out of the shadow of Champagne, create your own light by focusing on what you are not always trying to apologize for what you are not. Excellent. 92 Points.

2024 Cantina Orsogna Ju Ziré, Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC, Abruzzo, Italy: Restaurant 18€. 100% Cerasuolo. I was in Stresa, Italy for three nights and my first choice for dinner was closed, and my second choice was full. Despite all the pleading in the world, they could not find a table for one (you know you are scraping the bottom when you are traveling solo and can’t find a place to eat). Eventually, I opted for a pizzeria, even though I was in no mood for a pie. I had melon and prosciutto as a starter and seafood pasta as a primi. Neither lit my world on fire, but both were fine. And this wine choice was close to perfect. Fruity, fun, not overly complicated, just a wonderful quaff to sit and watch the world walk by. Very Good. 88 Points.

Regrettably, I did not take a photo of the Cerusola as I spent most of the evening having a delightful conversation with a Dutch couple. This photo is from the night before when the meal was better, the wine was worse, and I was served by a young Anakin Skywalker.

NV Conti Ducco, Franciacorta DOCG, Italy: Restaurant 37€. Mostly(?) Chardonnay. It was my last night in Stresa and I finally got a table at the restaurant which claimed to have one of the best wine lists in town. Um. No. Just to keep it brief, they had two Franciacortas: one Brut and one Rosé. No producer indicated. Having recently left the Franciacorta region, I decided to dive in, nonetheless. Meh. It is by no means “bad”, it is actually rather interesting, but I was hoping for much more by the beautiful lake whose hotels have seen better days. Very Good. 88 Points.

Once again, I neglected to grab a photo of the wine at dinner. Instead, here is a picture from Isola del Pescatorie, in the middle of Lago Maggiore, with what I assume to be a tourist contemplating a swim?