SAQ Lombardy IGT Regina Di Cuori 2021, Tenuta Fornace
Rocker’s Heart
Directly from Lombardy, we find this rarity: a 100% Croatina red. Even though it is classified as an IGT red, Tenuta Fornace, which has been making wine since 1823, specializes in Oltrepò Pavese, an appellation 45 km south of Milan bordering Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont.
Out of the 23,000 hectares of Lombard production, we see relatively few wines from this appellation at the monopoly. The reason is likely a heavy cooperative history that diminished the qualitative appeal of the wines. It is even less common to encounter a single-varietal Croatina (even if, with 3,000 ha, it is the most planted grape in the region), as it is generally used for blends. It is also nicknamed Bonarda in this corner of Italy (distinct from the Piedmontese Bonarda), and it is an indigenous variety that resisted the post-phylloxera invasion of European grape varieties.
Organic with minimal intervention in the cellar, this Croatina will exult with ripe raspberries and black cherries. The tannins are supple and balanced, providing great drinkability. Do not be fooled by the stout shape of the bottle, as we suspect its contents are quite agile in the glass…
- To pair with it: penne alla puttanesca,
- For the anecdote: the label design refers to Alice in Wonderland as conceptualized by the daughter of Andrea Rossi, owner and winemaker,
- To better understand the wines of Northern Italy: we start with Veneto and its Croatinas in our workshop on the subject
- Because it was our second choice for a truly interesting Italian wine this week… We can try something completely different in the south, in Sardinia, with the Carignano del Sulcis 2022, Sella & Mosca $25 at the SAQ (15182046)
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