A Home Run of LaStoria Wines

When I saw the boxes and boxes of 1895 La Storia wines coming in last week, I knew we were in for a treat. Exit 9 has carried the Montepulciano in this line, and it is already very popular. It has been joined by two others - a Primitivo di Manduria, and a Toscano Rosso. I did a tasting of the three of them side by side, and all I can say is Delizioso!

The Primitivo di Manduria is everything you want in an earthy, fruit-forward wine made from the primitivo grape. Manduria is a sun-drenched spot in the heel of Italy's boot where primitivo reigns, growing on ancient vines.

In the US we know this grape as zinfandel, producing wines that explode with lush, dark berry notes. The 1895 LaStoria Primitivo is a beautiful ruby color in the glass, with ripe cherry, plum and even some cinnamon notes on the nose.

It's a joy to drink - smooth, soft, fruit-forward, medium-bodied, and balanced, tickling the taste buds with a nice front, middle, and finish.

The Primitivo di Manduria is everything you want in an earthy, fruit-forward wine made from the primitivo grape. Manduria is a sun-drenched spot in the heel of Italy's boot where primitivo reigns, growing on ancient vines. In the US we know this grape as zinfandel, producing wines that explode with lush, dark berry notes. The 1895 LaStoria Primitivo is a beautiful ruby color in the glass, with ripe cherry, plum and even some cinnamon notes on the nose. It's a joy to drink - smooth, soft, fruit-forward, medium-bodied, and balanced, tickling the taste buds with a nice front, middle, and finish.

The Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is a stand-out for this well-known offering. Abruzzo is on Italy's east coast, about half way up the country, and is characterized by mountainous areas dotted with hillside vineyards.

Also considered earthy, the La Storia Montepulciano is also deep purple in the glass. On the nose, along with dark cherry notes, was a beautiful hint of roses.

On the palate, the wine is also super-smooth and balanced, with light but lingering tannins.

La Storia's Toscana Rosso is made with a blend of grapes grown in Tuscany on the central west coast of Italy.

Tuscan wines are always lovely, and this one does not disappoint. It's a blend, so there's a lot on the nose - some prune, some vanilla, some chocolate, even a hint of peach - and it, too, is a deep violet color in the glass.

The tannins are more pronounced in this wine and there's more of a middle note on the palate, with a lovely puckery finish.

Tasting these wines side-by-side was a wonderful treat - like traveling to the different places where the grapes are grown all from the comfort of my couch.

The next delight was trying them with what I made for dinner, which was a simple pasta dish with red sauce and some sausage. Where I was gaga for the Primitivo on its own, I had to admit that the Toscana was probably what complemented that dish the best. The Montepulciano was also stellar, and the Primitivo didn't fall off entirely, but its lush fruit would be more suited to something like olives and aged parmesan, or even chocolate cake.

Suffice to say you can't go wrong with any of these powerhouse Italian reds, all at great prices. The producer, Natale Verga, crafted the "1895" La Storia wines to express "all the elegance proper of these excellent products, fruit of the great relationship between wine and the territory where they are born." The bottles are heavy, bringing more "weight" to their overall value. They're easy to find in the store - there's a great display up front, and they're also among the Italian wines and in the Highly Rated section, as they have all received scores of 90+ from various reviewers. And of course, you can ask one of us for help.

Buon Appetito!!