Wine of the Week

Riondo is an Italian wine company that produces everything from delicate Prosecco and Moscato to pile-driver Amarone. The good news for wine-lovers is that the Riondo name on the bottle is a reliable indicator that you will find generously flavored wines at a pleasing price. We served two Riondo wines at a party recently and it was all I could do to get a glass myself. As soon as anyone took a taste, they were raving to everyone else, and the wines were soon gone. The first is a wine I highly recommend: the floral and fruity Riondo Prosecco Spago Nero ($11). This is 100% Prosecco and it is all from the Veneto. Unlike most Proseccos, this is not a sparkling wine. It does possess a light touch of spritz and just a hint of sweetness that is balanced with refreshing acidity. It is also low in alcohol (10.5%) which makes it a perfect quaffing wine for parties. The folks at Riondo decided to make it a non-vintage wine so that they could blend multiple vintages with the goal of offering a consistent flavor year after year. That is a good decision on their part.

The other wine that was consumed within seconds after I opened it was Riondo's Pink Spago Argento ($9). This wine is made from the Uverosato grape and as you can guess by its name, the grape makes a gorgeous pale Rosé. Spago Argento is a sparkling wine, but not like Champagne. Its bubbles are much smaller and less intense, which allows Riondo to make the wine with a screw top instead of a thick Champagne-style cork. Our guests were initially drawn to the wine by its good looks, but they drained the bottle because its aromas are so attractive and it tastes great. Many retailers have picked up both of these wines, though, as always, you should check with your favorite wine shop to make sure they have it in stock.