Giulio Armani has been the winemaker at the iconic Emilia estate La Stoppa for over 30 years; there, he's known for crafting intensely terroir-driven and long-aged reds, like their 'Trebbiolo' and 'Macchiona.' In recent years, Giulio has also worked under his own project, called Denavolo, just adjacent to La Stoppa, thus far focusing exclusively there on skin-contact white wines. So what a delight to have his first Denavolo rosso now on the shelves! To be fair, most of it is still made of white grapes, though not as you'd expect: it's a delightfully harmonious blend of 70% Pinot Grigio, 10% Pinot Noir, 10% Barbera, and 10% Bonarda. A ruby-colored wine, it's just a little wild and a lot savory on the nose, with a perfect trilogy of bright red fruit, florals, and earth. Aromas of sweet small berries, rose petals, and plum give way to forest floor and singed herbs. Lightly racy acidity and just a hint of rustic tannins keep things super fresh – and keep you coming back for more. It's lithe and surprisingly light (Macchiona, it ain't) but not without some serious (and seriously fun) depths to plumb. Giulio's done it again!