469406 Fri Dec 14 08:00:28 -0800 2007 27 34 Wine 0 3207529 My mom and I had a wonderful - local - sparkling red wine in Rome a few months ago - and I know I will never find anything like it here, but thought I would give it a shot. It was sparkling - and red - although I cannot remember which grape. It was slightly sweet - but not very. Sooooo good. Any ideas? ( I have tried The Black Chook sparkling shiraz - which is good.) Fri Dec 14 08:00:28 -0800 2007 150003 mego1210 1 3207650 Could have been a Lambrusco. Even if it wasn't, that's the sparkling Italian red you're most likely to find in North America. Fri Dec 14 08:31:56 -0800 2007 3207529 13325 Mr F 1 3207716 If it were local while in Roma, it wasn't Lambrusco--that's from Emilia Romagna. Ergo, it wasn't Brachetto, which is from Piedmonte. Roma is in the center of Lazio. The local DOC wines that are made in frizzante (sparkling) style are the Cesanese wines (Piglio, Affile, Olevano Romano) and Circeo. Fri Dec 14 08:54:35 -0800 2007 3207529 138502 chefdilettante 1 3207820 One that has been a hit with myself and all of my wine drinking pals~ Paringa Sparkling Shiraz. Very festive, perfect for the holidays! Fri Dec 14 09:18:07 -0800 2007 3207529 135133 washingtonred 2 3208080 I think that one is great too! Much better price too than some of the other sparkling Shiraz... Fri Dec 14 10:34:26 -0800 2007 3207820 128359 jcoz23 3 3213639 The other day I had Omni Sparkling Shiraz -- liked it very much. It's $11.99 at Total Wine in Northern Virginia. Sun Dec 16 17:22:27 -0800 2007 3208080 147512 chriscatva 4 3218660 I have had that one too - very good! Tue Dec 18 10:14:38 -0800 2007 3213639 150003 mego1210 1 3207898 Aliancia (not sure of the spelling) makes a Portuguese Sparkling Red. Very enjoyable (in my opinion). Fri Dec 14 09:43:33 -0800 2007 3207529 103854 HunterJay 1 3207954 I wonder if maybe it was a wine that was not local? I have seen many places in Rome serve Brachetto even though it is not from the area. Have you tried Rosa Regale? Not the best Brachetto but widely available... Fri Dec 14 09:56:49 -0800 2007 3207529 128359 jcoz23 1 3209834 Was the the wine dry or sweet? Fri Dec 14 23:49:40 -0800 2007 3207529 97345 Vinny Barbaresco 2 3213504 It was dry - but maybe a little sweet taste to it. Sun Dec 16 16:27:21 -0800 2007 3209834 150003 mego1210 3 3226329 It may have been Bonarda Frizzante from Oltrepo Pavese, it's quite popular in North Central and Central Italy Thu Dec 20 13:55:09 -0800 2007 3213504 97345 Vinny Barbaresco 1 3211975 You should email the staff at Wine Expo in west LA. They've got a great assortment of fizzy red & rose wines both dry & off-dry: perfect for non-wine drinkers who want something with a heavier body than prosecco, cava or American sparklers. Sun Dec 16 01:46:38 -0800 2007 3207529 28733 zinFAN 1 3212081 I'm drawing a blank on the name, but as I recall in the spring and early summer there's a sparkling red that the Romans drink. The name sounds like the Italian word for strawberry . . . that's it - fragolino. Sun Dec 16 05:28:53 -0800 2007 3207529 14610 bropaul 2 3213510 You are so right! It definitely had a strawberry taste to it. Any suggestions on something similar? Sun Dec 16 16:27:52 -0800 2007 3212081 150003 mego1210 3 3213808 It wasn't even that common in Rome, when I lived there, so I doubt you would find it here. You might get a vaguely similar experience by mixing some strawberries with a light Lambrusco. I did a Google search and turned up some interesting information. There's an EU regulation that has restricted the production of fragolino to private consumption. There are apparently products on the market and available in the US which are called fragolino, but apparently give the strawberry taste to the wine by using chemical essences. Sun Dec 16 18:17:58 -0800 2007 3213510 14610 bropaul 3 3223202 Perhaps similar. There's a Chilean Sparkler infused with strawberries from Patagonia. Name is Fresita - comes in normal 750ml bottles and also a 4* 187ml pack. Wed Dec 19 14:52:00 -0800 2007 3213510 11134 estufarian 1 3217337 Are you sure it was local? Gragnano, from Campania (usually produced near Sorrento), is a slightly sweet and very fizzy red wine. It pairs really well with tomato-based dishes. Serve it slightly chilled and it's a really nice warm weather wine. Mon Dec 17 20:59:59 -0800 2007 3207529 16011 oolah 2 3218676 Is Gragnano the name of it - or the type of wine? Any suggestions on labels I should try? Tue Dec 18 10:17:17 -0800 2007 3217337 150003 mego1210 3 3218729 Gragnano is a type of wine (and also the name of the town it comes from). It's not at all a fancy wine and retails for around $10-13, so anything you can get your hands on is probably worth a try. In the states, I've had I Normanni before and enjoyed it with food. (I wouldn't drink it without a meal, but I'd say that's true of most Italian wines for me). Tue Dec 18 10:33:23 -0800 2007 3218676 16011 oolah 3 3220964 I'd like to suggest you find the name of the restaurant somehow, and email or fax them. Tue Dec 18 22:23:45 -0800 2007 3218676 18222 maria lorraine 4 3223074 didn't have it at a restauarant. got it at a local market in Rome. unfortunately I could never remember the name of the market. Wed Dec 19 14:07:20 -0800 2007 3220964 150003 mego1210 5 3223312 Dang. You have mentioned a strawberry flavor, and another has mentioned Brachetto d'Acqui, a strawberry-ish, sparkling red. It's lovely. Try it, and see if it comes close. About $16. Wed Dec 19 15:28:59 -0800 2007 3223074 18222 maria lorraine 5 3223428 What neighborhood in Rome? Not that knowing the name would help much, you'd need to know the vendor. My money is still on fragolino. Wed Dec 19 16:13:37 -0800 2007 3223074 14610 bropaul 1 3223744 OK, I have a bunch of ideas now! But first, a few questions: Was it fizzy (frizzante) or full-out sparkling? Was it red (rosso) or rose (rosato)? A little sweet (amabile)? Is that right? Not sweet (dolce), right? And not dry (secco)? Was it made very close to Rome, close to Rome, or in the general region of Lazio? Any idea at all of the area where it was made? Would you know the name if I said it to you? There are about 60 wines that fit the category of red, frizzante or sparkling, wines made in the area around Rome in Lazio, just so you know. Your answers to the questions above will help narrow it down. Just to cut to the chase, the most famous red sparkling wine from the hills just north of Rome (Colli della Sabina) is the Colli Della Sabina Rosso Frizzante Amabile. Translation: from the Sabine hills, red, slightly sparkling, slightly sweet. But I have other ideas if that's not it. Wed Dec 19 18:28:57 -0800 2007 3207529 18222 maria lorraine 2 3224879 i would say fizzy - maybe sparkling - can't really remember :( definitely red - not rose it was a little sweet don't know where it was made - cannot remember the name - and got it from a local market in Rome (doesn't mean it was made there) i do remember that the label had like a red and white check to it - i think Thu Dec 20 07:35:31 -0800 2007 3223744 150003 mego1210 3 3226586 Well, that makes it tough. There's not much to go on. >>>and got it from a local market in Rome (doesn't mean it was made there) But you did say that you were told it was made around Rome, right? That it was a local wine, yes? Thu Dec 20 15:12:22 -0800 2007 3224879 18222 maria lorraine 1 3227928 Thanks to all for great ideas - I will check some of those out and let you know. Fri Dec 21 07:16:36 -0800 2007 3207529 150003 mego1210