Renzo Seghesio Rosso Ars Vivendi Langhe 2019

What better way to say “farewell” to VinItaly with this bright and fresh Piemonte Rosso! At our head-turning price, this is a STEAL!

Verona! Don’t make me go! We’re packing up and saying farewell to Italy (for now, at least..) but for all the hundreds upon HUNDREDS of incredible Barolos, Barbarescos, Brunellos, Chiantis and so much more that we’ve swirled, sipped, and spit (mostly) these past few days…this…THIS wine was, again, a revelation!!! UNDER $20?! Are we crazy?

We just can’t get enough of this wondrously tasty Italian nectar – especially at a curb-stomping 50% OFF! This rockin’ good Rosso hails from the fabled lands of the Langhe region of Piedmont, northern Italy, near the iconic plots of Barbaresco, and Barolo, and home to truffles, hazelnuts, and the eternal wellspring of our vinous enrapturement. Specifically, Monforte d’Alba, where the Seghesio family has been a force for over a century (Renzo was the mayor of Monforte for 25 years!!). The family owns some amazing property in the coveted Barolo Ginestra cru and besides a slew of pricier wines, they make this awesome blend called "Ars Vivendi", which means “Art of Living” (Renzo is a patron of the arts and helped build an amphitheater in Monforte for concerts). 

But…as ever…THE WINE! A wine from Ginestra, the storied hillside vineyard, and THE top cru in the Monforte village, priced anything like this, is UN-REAL, truly, you would be wise to partake. A near 50/50 blend of nebbiolo/barbera, with a dash of merlot – this Langhe Rosso is beautifully described by the winery:

“For those that are grape purists, this defies purity with the best intention. The hallmarks of Nebbiolo are not interrupted nor compromised, they are simply enhanced by the extra stuffing of Barbera’s purple plum fruit and wavy tannin.”

MAKE. IT. SO. The wine bubbles over with red/blue-rich fruit, structure and brightness, perfumey raspberry and juicy plums, a touch of fantastic, sweet woodsmoke (like when you get a whiff walking by your favorite BBQ spot), espresso, and just totally packs it in while being relatively light on its feet and fresh as the day is long. A TOTAL, utter no-brainer at the price, and if you love Italy nearly as much as we do – GET YOU SOME!! Drink with WILD abandon...just like the whole office does anytime this gets open! UNDER $20?! And the BEST PRICE ANYWHERE?! Go, flee, fly, and make sure you get enough to spare!

** Fun fact: Renzo came home after college in the late 60s and started making wine in his parent’s garage, and he’s known as the “OG” in Monforte – “Original Garagista”!! As we say goodbye to VinItaly – there’s simply nothing we want to drink more with our annual Chinese food in Verona tradition tonight! **