Curto Marco di Nadia Curto Langhe Rosso L'Informale, 2023

 

I ordinarily cellar Nebbiolos from Italy's Piedmont for a few years, even generic Langhe Nebbiolos. But this L'Informale from Nadia Curto seems to me the perfect every day wine to be consumed early and often It is a blend of 60% Nebbiolo (picked in late October) and 40% Dolcetto (picked in late October), both aged in stainless steel.

Brilliant maroon, vlolet color. Has all the entrancing smells of Nebbiolo at its best: roses, cherries, black raspberries, black licorice. Fresh, vibrant flavors dance on the tongue with acidity that keeps you coming back for sip after sip. Plenty of tannins from both grapes, but they provide a structure that enhances rather than blocks the fresh fruit flavors. A good match for almost any food. 

At $18 to $22 a bottle, L'Informale may be a bit pricey for every day use, but for "informal" or even "formal" occasions, the quality is hard to beat.