Venda is to sell in Italian, perhaps a hint that this is not a wine to age, but one to purchase with your groceries and drink with the night’s meal. Vignalta is one of the larger estates in the Colli Euganei region, a picturesque set of volcanic hills poking out of the Po river’s wide plain. Once a favorite wine of Francophile Venetian nobles, these hills have been home to Bordeaux varieties since the seventeenth century. For a winery as large as Vignalta, their dedication to ecological farming and low impact winemaking is impressive, so even this entry tier wine is elegant and full of soulful earth. 2018 helped, by producing a soft textured crop throughout Italy. Aromas of black cherry and bay leaf, black pepper and potting soil. The palate is full and framed with peppery tannins, blackcurrant, rosemary and oregano that linger through the earthy finish. An easy choice for Italian style steaks, meaty bolognese, or mushroom risottos, we’re also curious to see how this wine responds to an additional year or two of age.