Alberto Tedeschi 2007 Spungola Bellaria I.G.T.

If you have a garden you may know that feeling of uneasiness increasing each day during a vacation. How will the radishes do in the hot weather? And how will the coneflowers cope without your daily care? And then, back home, after two weeks of worrying, you realize that the plants never looked better after having been left on their own for a while. Similarly, you don't have to worry about Alberto Tedeschi's wines either. They can easily deal with exposure to air once the bottle has been opened.

Tedeschi's only makes a handful of wines from two and a half acres of Pignoletto vines on the Spungola and Bellaria vineyards near the small town of Monteveglio. All of his Pignoletto vines are organically grown. Pignonletto is a native Italian grape predominantly planted in the Bologna area. While for the most part it may not be known for wines of high quality Alberto Tedeschi's wines show that this is not necessarily the fault of the grape. His Pignolettos are complex and expressive with distinctly mineral flavors.

Because the wine is intentionally oxidized—or, so to speak, not intentionally derailed from its natural course—during the winemaking process Tedeschi's wines can be opened and left on the table without worrying too much about putting the cork back on it or putting it back to the fridge immediately. Leave it on the table, leave it open, this wine will beautify through neglect.

The 2007 Spungola Bellaria Monteveglio is golden in the glass and has a gorgeous amber hue. The aroma is of medium intensity: bruised apple, orange peel and cherry. It is dry on the palate, with medium(+) acidity and medium alcohol. Medium(+) intensity of oxidized apple, stones. Long length with a very satisfying dry and spicy finish. Drink now through 2015.

Read the Alberto Tedeschi interview on the Louis/Dressner website.