Cleto Chiarli, Italy Rosé de Noir Brut NV ($19, Dalla Terra)

I am a fan of Cleto Chiarli’s wide array of Lambrusco wines, but this well-priced bubbly has little of the typical hyper-fruitiness of those wines, although the grapes are mainly Lambrusco grapes with 15% Pinot Nero. Rather, it is a very nice middle-of-the-road Italian sparkling wine that doesn’t bring to mind the characteristics of its Bolognese brethren. The flavors are of ripe strawberries, mild cherries and hints of candied fruit in the finish with a richness of bubbles that both delight and cleanse the palate.
90 Roger Morris