Behind the Cork™ - Dogajolo Wines by Carpineto Winery

Dogajolo Wines by Carpineto

Dogajolo (pronounced (Dog-ay-yolo) was launched in Italy in 1993 by Giancarlo Sacchet and Antonio Zaccheo Sr. of Carpineto.

"This is a momentous year as we proudly celebrate 30 years of our signature Dogajolo Toscano Rosso” said Antonio Michael Zaccheo Jr, the second generation of the Zaccheo family managing the Carpineto winery. 

“At the time we launched Dogajolo, Super Tuscans were highly coveted but considered an expensive wine for special occasions, or to drink at the weekend paired with a special meal. We set about changing this by producing an accessibly priced, approachable wine that you can enjoy every day. In doing so, we like to proudly say that we invented the ‘baby’ Super Tuscan category.”

2022 Dogajolo Bianco ($14.99) - This wine is a high-quality white wine produced from 40% Chardonnay grapes blended with 30% Grechetto and 30% Sauvignon Blanc. It is pale gold in color with aromas of citrus and melon along with floral notes. On the palate it has unique characteristics of being smooth and rich provided by the Chardonnay along with having bright notes of citrus and grapefruit from the Sauvignon Blanc. This wine finishes with refreshing acidity. (13/2% ABV, 1.7 g/L RS, pH=3.56, Acidity=5.0 g/L)

2020 Dogajolo ($14.99) - This wine is produced from 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. It was fermented for 10-15 days in stainless steel tanks. The Sangiovese underwent full malolactic fermentation while the Cabernet Sauvignon only underwent partial malolactic fermentation. It was aged for 6 months in used French and American oak barrels & cement vats followed by 4-6 months in the bottle. It is deep ruby in color with aromas of black cherry and spice. On the palate it has the classic cherry flavor of Sangiovese with added depth associated with the Cabernet Sauvignon. (13/2% ABV, 1.7 g/L RS, pH=3.56, Acidity=5.0 g/L)

These two wines from Dogajolo are great for everyday drinking and very affordable making them a great fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Cheers!

Dogajolo wines are imported by Opici Wines & Spirits and available in all 50 States.

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Carpineto Winery via Donna White Communications

Behind the Cork™ - Rosie Giovese Vino Rosato

Rosie Giovese Vino Rosato ($35)

Launched in 2021, Sandy Giovese wines are the creation of Amy Ezrin, accomplished entrepreneur, Italian wine expert and importer.

The brand name is a playful reference to her alter ego, Sandy Giovese, referring to the famous Italian grape Sangiovese which this wine is based on. Rosie Giovese is the ‘sister’ of Sandy Giovese.

Sandy Giovese’s commitment to raising awareness around environmental sustainability and the empowerment of women and girls is represented by the strong personality of their central character.

They have been practicing sustainable farming since 2016 when they converted their vineyards to organic farming, supported by a fully solar-powered wine cellar.

This wonderful Rosie Giovese Vino Rosato is a blend of 85% Sangiovese and 15% Trebbiano. It is produced in stainless-steel tanks to preserve its freshness with a seven-day maceration period for the Sangiovese and just four-hours of maceration for the Trebbiano.

This Rosie Giovese Vino Rosato is a beautiful salmon colored wine. On the nose it has strawberry and notes of candied cherry. On the palate it has delicate red-fruit flavors, refreshing acidity and a crisp finish.

This is not only a really good rosé wine, it’s also a tremendous value since one box is equivalent to four bottles of wine.

ABV: 12.7%, Residual Sugar: <2.0 g/l, pH: 3.43, Total Acidity: 5.5 g/l

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Sandy Giovese Wines via Savona Communications

Behind the Cork™ - Masciarelli Montepulciano D'Abruzzo

2020 Masciarelli Montepulciano D'Abruzzo ($15)

This Montepulciano wine from Masciarelli (Mass-shee-ah-RELL-ee) winery exemplifies the style, quality, and value associated with wines from the Abruzzo region of Italy. Masciarelli produced their first vintage in 1981, and to this date, all of their wines remain estate grown.

This wine is made from 100% Montepulciano grapes sourced from vineyards planted in calcareous clay soils. The cooling effect of clay helps preserve this wine’s bright acidity. 

Designed to be enjoyed within a few years of release, these wines see no oak during the winemaking process, allowing their youthful freshness to shine.

This Masciarelli wine is produced from 100% Montepulciano D’Abruzzo grapes that were fermented and aged in stainless steel. It is deep ruby in color with nice aromas of black fruit and thyme. On the palate, this dry, full-bodied wine is big in flavor with rich blackberry fruit flavor, touches of spice and bold tannin. (Note: This wine was decanted for 1+ hours before serving)

This is a delightful Montepulciano D’Abruzzo from Masciarelli. It’s also quite affordable. This big Italian wine certainly deserves being called this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Masciarelli Winery via Creative Palate Communications

Behind the Cork™ - Rosie Giovese Vino Rosato

Rosie Giovese Vino Rosato ($29.99)

Amy Ezrin, the founder of Sandy Giovese wines, was training to be an opera singer and lived in Italy for eight years. During this time, she found that she was an OK singer but was really good at speaking Italian and tasting wine. So, she got into the wine business.

She jokes that her alter ego was Sandy Giovese, which is a play on the name of one of Italy’s greatest red grapes, Sangiovese. And now, she’s introduced Sandy’s ‘sister’ Rosie Giovese Vino Rosato.

This Rosie Giovese Vino Rosato is a seriously good rosé that also happens to be a tremendous value.

Rosie Giovese Vino Rosato is produced from organically farmed grapes by blending 60% Sangiovese (the grape that is famous for Chianti wine), with 30% Merlot and 10% Lacrima. In case you weren’t familiar with the Lacrima grape, it’s a dark-skinned grape variety that is aromatic and richly flavored, with berry-dominated flavors. The word “lacrima” means tear or teardrop in Italian and is likely so named due to the fact that the berries tend to split, dripping juice down the outside of the bunch.

This wine is a beautiful medium salmon color with a delicate aroma of strawberries. On the palate it’s bigger than a typical rosé. It leans more toward being medium-bodied with richness and depth likely attributable to the blending that includes Merlot. It’s got nice, not over-powering, acidity and an easy finish.

Here’s yet another reason to try a box wine. This one is 3 liters of really nice wine for the price of a couple of bottles. And, it last for weeks (if you pace yourself!). All this make the Rosie Giovese Vino Rosato a great fit as the Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Sandy Giovese Wines (via Savona Communications)