The colour is medium ruby. On the nose cherries, blackberries and some toasted notes. In the mouth rather light and thin, but refreshing. The alcohol is a bit too high. The aftertaste is pleasantly fruity, but fades away quickly.
This wine is made under the Buttafuoco dell’Oltrepò Pavese DOC. It is a blend of Croatina, Barbera and Uva Rara.
Uva Rara is a red-wine grape variety of southern Lombardy, in the northwest of Italy. It is best known as a variety used in the red wines of the Oltrepo Pavese DOC. In the northwestern hills of Piedmont, just south of Lake Maggiore, Uva Rara is known as Bonarda Novarese.
Croatina is a red-wine grape variety found in several areas of central northern Italy, namely eastern Piedmont, southern Lombardy and western Emilia-Romagna. It is also known as Bonarda, a nickname it shares with Uva Rara. A bit confusing, as it is sometimes the case in Italy, where there is a large variety of grapes used to make wine.
I first tasted a very cheap version of Buttafuoco DOC last year, while I was walking from Aosta to Rome (www.thelovedwine.com/cera-una-volta-2019). Back then I paid 3.99 EUR at a Supermarket and couldn’t complain. This time I spent 15 EUR at the winery. It reinforces my impression that Conte Vistarino’s wines are overpriced.
Country: Italy
Region: Lombardy
Grapes: Croatina/Bonarda, Barbera, Uva Rara/Bonarda Novarese
Type: Red
Vintage: 2017
Producer: Conte Vistarino
Price range: Medium (15-30 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 3/5