A Wine for All Seasons: Brachetto D'Acqui

I'm in love with this wine. I followed my toddler into a Total Wine store a few weeks back (Don't ask; when he takes off I just follow). While I was trying to keep Ben from breaking everything in sight, I talked to a clerk about a beautiful red wine I had a few years ago. "It was a sparkling red," I said, wracking my brain for more information. The clerk's eyes brightened and he said, "Oh, the Brachetto D'Acqui. It's Italian, and they only make it in the early spring and fall." He hurried off and brought me back a big, beautiful bottle for a mere $16. (OK, that's more than I usually spend too, but it was for an anniversary party). Wow! is all I can say. This red wine is a crowd pleaser. I'm no sommelier, so I'll just repeat a summer 2006 review from wineloverspage.com:

Brachetto has wonderful aromas of black raspberry and black cherry with notes of tar, clove and flowers such as violets or orchids. The wine is medium-bodied, generally with a trace of sweetness (a few are medium-sweet) and is usually lightly sparkling or what the Italians call frizzante. If that doesn't sound appealing enough, consider this; alcohol is low, usually 5.5 percent!

The great thing about this wine is its versatility. You can serve it with turkey or dessert or even with appetizers for New Years in place of some Asti and before the champagne. Want to take a bottle of wine to your hostess at a party? Brachetto D'Acqui will please white wine drinkers with its gentle sweetness, and the deep, ruby-red color will entice red wine drinkers to give it a try. Even a wine snob will be impressed with your good taste. Rich and I have a Christmas tradition of popping a bottle of champagne after the kids have gone to bed on Christmas Eve. I think we might just skip the champagne this year and go with one of these sweeties instead. Sante!