Marco Bonfante Albarone Albarossa Piemonte, Italy 750ml

Marco Bonfante's Albarone is a distinctive 750ml red wine from Piedmont, Italy, crafted from 100% Albarossa grapes — a rare variety created in 1938 by Professor Giovanni Dalmasso through a cross of Nebbiolo di Dronero and Barbera. Marco Bonfante is one of the very few wineries in the world producing a wine exclusively from this grape, making the Albarone a singular expression of Piedmontese viticulture.

The winemaking process begins with a careful selection in the vineyard, where 70% of the harvest is picked in early September and dried, while the remaining 30% continues ripening on the vine until early October. After destemming and gentle pressing, the grapes undergo cold maceration in stainless steel tanks for 36–40 hours to maximize extraction of aromas, color, and structure. The wine then ages for 24 months in 1,000-liter French oak barrels, followed by 12 months of bottle aging at a controlled cellar temperature of 12°C before release.

In the glass, Albarone displays an intense violet color. On the nose, it offers ripe cherry, plum, berries, and spices with a balsamic note. On the palate, it is full-bodied, tannic yet smooth, with extraordinary fruit concentration and a long finish revealing blueberry and ripe plum. The wine begins to express its full complexity after 5–6 years of bottle aging and can be cellared for up to 25 years at 12–14°C. Serve at 16–18°C. Pairs well with structured meat dishes, braised pork cheek, veal stew, pappardelle with venison and chestnut sauce, or dark chocolate desserts. The Albarone 2015 was awarded Best Albarossa of Italy by critic Luca Maroni in the 2020 Annual of Italy's Best Wines.