The other night at Giacomo’s I was looking for a light- or medium-bodied easy drinking red that would work well on its own and with light appetizers for myself and a couple siblings and their spouses as we waited for our parents. After scanning the list for a minute or two, with a two or three inexpensive bottles in mind, I ask chef-proprietor Lynette Hawkins if she had any suggestions that would fit what I outlined. She quickly recommended unlitro from star Aldo Adige-based winemaker Elisabetta Foradori, who was involved in property in the Maremma area of southwestern Tuscany, Ampeleia.
Unlitro, which means “A liter” in Italian, is pretty accurate description, as it a liter of red wine contained in an old-style squat bottle, not unlike those used by the cult Sicilian winemaker COS. Unusually, unlitro is made mostly with Alicante Nero – which is Grenache, very unusual for Tuscany – with Carignan and Alicante Bouschet, a couple of other French grapes. The wine was perfect for our needs, we all liked, with plans to purchase it in the future. Also, it was just $28 for a liter. That’s $28 for a bottle-and-a-third. It is tough to imagine that there is as well-made and enjoyable red wine on a wine list in the Houston area for such a small tariff.
How to describe it? The list at Giacamo’s does a very job doing so: “has flavors that are pure and lively with no oak to interfere with the myriad aromas of wildflowers, forest fruit, red berries, and subtle spices. A lingering hint of sweetness is balanced with refreshing acidity on the finish. This is both a lovely sipping wine and food pairing wine.” I tasted some cherry and strawberry among the fruit, which was evident, but not predominant and a profile that lighter than the typical Grenache and Italian in profile. And, $28, too. Our table of nearly ten finished three bottles.
Unlitro is available retail locally at Houston Wine Merchants for $19.99. That’s just an $8 markup over retail at Giacomo’s, a testament to their terrific wine pricing. There were only four bottles left of unlitro at Houston Wine Merchant on Friday after I bought one. It is worth sample and more.
Giacomo’s
3215 Westheimer (between Kirby and River Oaks Boulevard), 77098, (713) 522-1934
giacomosciboevino.com
Unlitro, which means “A liter” in Italian, is pretty accurate description, as it a liter of red wine contained in an old-style squat bottle, not unlike those used by the cult Sicilian winemaker COS. Unusually, unlitro is made mostly with Alicante Nero – which is Grenache, very unusual for Tuscany – with Carignan and Alicante Bouschet, a couple of other French grapes. The wine was perfect for our needs, we all liked, with plans to purchase it in the future. Also, it was just $28 for a liter. That’s $28 for a bottle-and-a-third. It is tough to imagine that there is as well-made and enjoyable red wine on a wine list in the Houston area for such a small tariff.
How to describe it? The list at Giacamo’s does a very job doing so: “has flavors that are pure and lively with no oak to interfere with the myriad aromas of wildflowers, forest fruit, red berries, and subtle spices. A lingering hint of sweetness is balanced with refreshing acidity on the finish. This is both a lovely sipping wine and food pairing wine.” I tasted some cherry and strawberry among the fruit, which was evident, but not predominant and a profile that lighter than the typical Grenache and Italian in profile. And, $28, too. Our table of nearly ten finished three bottles.
Unlitro is available retail locally at Houston Wine Merchants for $19.99. That’s just an $8 markup over retail at Giacomo’s, a testament to their terrific wine pricing. There were only four bottles left of unlitro at Houston Wine Merchant on Friday after I bought one. It is worth sample and more.
Giacomo’s
3215 Westheimer (between Kirby and River Oaks Boulevard), 77098, (713) 522-1934
giacomosciboevino.com
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