Molinara

            This pale red grape of the Veneto is usually encountered as part of a Valpolicello blend with Corvino Veronese and Rondinella.

            AziendaAgricola Ca'Rugate uses Molinara to produce this rosé spumante. It gets a couple of days of skin contact that imparts a salmon or coral color and is fermented in stainless steel. The following spring, the still wine is bottled with additional yeast for a second fermentation and ages for two years before the spent yeast is disgorged. The result is a foamy wine with a character that is more yeasty than grapy, and I think just about anyone tasting it with closed eyes would think it is a soft crémant-style wine from white grapes.

            Food pairing: Merchant Astor Wines says its “ripe black cherry” flavor complements grilled or smoked fish. We had it with grilled tuna and a sauce of roasted green peppers and garlic, but the expected red-fruit flavors were not prominent and it was a bit overpowered. With its festive bubbliness, it would be good with seafood or vegetable hors d’ouevres.