Ruggero di Barda - 2016 susumaniello [Italy]

As I was perusing the wine aisle at Trader Joe's, this stout bottle caught my eye. The shape and size of the bottle suggested to me this might be a fortified wine or some sweet after-dinner libation. Nope, turns out to be an Italian red wine, and an interesting one at that - a Susumaniello from Ruggero di Barda. Despite the the size of the bottle, I am assured by the label it is 750ml. No bamboozles, Trader Joe's!

This wine is from Apulia (or Puglia), the somewhat flat and fertile southern province of Italy better known as the "heel of the boot." While Tuscany is perhaps the most famous Italian region for wine, it's grown all throughout the country. According to GrapeCollective.com, Apulia is actually Italy's most prolific winegrowing region, comprising 17% of all grapes grown in the country!

Apulia. Source: Wikipedia, naturally

And now the grape - another surprise. It's called "Susumaniello", and is not terribly common. In fact, I have neither seen it in a shop nor heard of it before today. According to WineReviewOnline's Rebecca Murphy, the grape was thought to be a Dalmatian transplant - makes sense, since it's not a long trip across the Adriatic Sea - but to find out for certain, they turned to science. Fenetic typing - called "microsatellite marker typing" - is a type of genetic testing that can reveal the heritage and history of grapes. A test performed by Italian scientists determined that Susumaniello is a close genetic match of Sangiovese (along with numerous other grape varieties.) Sangiovese is a grape I've had quite a bit, which is acidic and can be quite tannic, so perhaps today's wine will be on the heavier end.

Let's dive in - the wine pours deep ruby red, a very pretty color. Purple when candled. Not getting much aroma, maybe a bit of sweet alcohol. But not much.

OK, I think we have a winner here. I'm immediately struck by how "full" it is - big, juicy flavors, right off the bat, a bit salty, with some candied fruit notes - really quite delicious. There's some dark fruit in there, too...I'm thinking dried plums, nothing too acidic like cherry. The texture balance is quite interesting here, as well - it's silky smooth, not too dry, and lacks any sort of "bite", such as the kind of tannic sharpness one might with a Nebbiolo or a Montepulciano d'Abbruzo, however at the same time it's not underpowered or jammy or fruit-forward.

This is a perfect example of a "big" wine - a full-bodied, strong wine that's packed with flavors and coats the mouth. I really dig the Port-style notes, especially in terms of mouthfeel and texture. I paired this with my homemade mac n' cheese, which is a mix of Colby Jack and Swiss cheese, reduced in a roux of Kerrygold butter, flour, and whole milk, seasoned with garlic, sriracha, and black pepper added - and topped with baked Black Forest bacon.

I'm really pleased, and the price point - $9.99 at Trader Joe's - simply can't be beat. In my opinion, a very good value and a wine worth trying for certain. I'll definitely keep my cellar stocked with a bottle of this.