'Runcu Brüjau' is Ligurian dialect for ‘Scarpata Bruciata,’ literally ‘burned escarpment’, and the name of the vineyard that was traditionally an area that always had wildfires in the past. Claudio's blend, comprised of 40% Rossese, 30% Ormeasco, and 30% Granaccia, is meant to compliment Rossese’s aromatics with the texture and grip brought by the latter two varieties. The combination yields a complex wine with notes of ripe wild strawberry, crushed violets, olives, sea spray, and Mediterranean herbs. Mineral-driven as always, it's juicy and peppy on the palate, carried along by zippy acidity and superfine tannins, finishing with whiffs of black pepper (a Rossese hallmark!) and sun-baked earth. Rossese is absolutely the summer red you should be reaching for right now. Let’s hope Runcu Brüjau’s future yields less inferno and more wine....