Grignolino, a Red Wine for Summer

Grignolino is one of the wines of the Piedmontese tradition, a red wine that, like others, has gone through alternating phases of glory and hardship. Throughout its history it has managed to "reinvent" itself and revisit its position in the consumer's imagination. It was born as a wine for special occasions, the good bottle to open on festive days with an important relative, but over time it had to make way for wines that managed to monopolize this role worldwide. Today, thanks to its characteristics, it has carved out the role of a red wine for summer, to be enjoyed slightly chilled in the company of friends.

The typical characteristics of this grape variety are its light ruby color, moderately intense aromas enhanced by a decent complexity ranging from floral notes (rose) to fruity (cherry and strawberry in youth, plum as the wine evolves) and not infrequently spicy (cloves and white pepper). On the palate it typically presents a pronounced acidity in youth that will decrease over time and with proper bottle aging. Its tannins are usually well-defined and not very aggressive, especially when the harvest is carried out at full grape ripeness; the alcohol level is not excessive and usually hovers around 13.5% vol. The berry is round, with thin skin and rich in seeds called "grignole" in Piedmontese dialect, which explains its name… Grignolino.
The typical production areas are the hills of the Astigiano and the Monferrato Casalese. It is a grape variety that yields low harvests and the vine prefers poor soils, ideally sandy ones; the best qualitative results are obtained when it "works under slight stress". It thrives in a warm climate, with good hillside exposures that allow it to best complete the ripening of its grape clusters, and being a delicate plant, also to better resist the typical vine diseases.
The recommended pairings for this wine are the cured meats of the Piedmontese tradition, soups and broths, and the more structured versions pair well with some historic Piedmontese dishes such as "la finanziera", while it is worth trying with fish-based dishes in its younger and more easy-drinking expressions.