Luretta, Gutturnio Superiore DOC (Emilia Romagna, Italy) 2018

 One of the exciting and bewildering things about Italian wines is the ever-increasing number of DOCs that sprout like mushrooms after a rain. Gutturnio Superiore is a new one to me.  Formerly a part of the Colli Piacentini, another DOC I’ve heard of but could not find on a map, Gutturnio is the northwest part of Emilia Romagna, bordering both Piedmont and Lombardy, which may explain the grapes, Barbera and Croatina, used in this wine.  Barbera, after all, is a workhorse of Piedmont wines and Croatina, confusingly sometimes called Bonarda, serves a similar function in Lombardy.  It turns out, at least in Luretta’s hands, these grapes do well outside of their “traditional” regions.  Luretta’s 2018 is a large sized, 14.5 percent stated alcohol, plummy wine, with wonderful acidity that imbues it with life and energy.  Not hot or over blown, this weighty wine is balanced.  Fine tannins support the umph in the glass without interfering.  It has a rustic charm that makes it an ideal choice for robust grilled meats.