Maculan 2010 Dindarello Moscato

Maculan is a winery that typifies the remarkable change in winemaking in the Veneto wine region of northeastern Italy. A generation ago, the wines were –like most in the region– nothing more okay wines for cheap and easy drinking. Fast forward to today, and you wouldn’t recognize the winery or the wines. They are now world-class affairs with a reputation for elegance and power.

The  Dindarello is a stellar bottle of dessert Moscato. It brings a delicate sweetness that is matched by a powerful level of acidity that keeps it intriguing and vibrant. Exotic fruit, cardamom pods, and eucalyptus are predominant, with a bit of lemon curd and perfectly ripe mango. Perfect for a cheese course.

Breganze DOC

Veneto, Italy

This is one of Italy’s unsung DOC heroes, largely due to the excellence of Maculan. As a generic red, Breganze is an excellent Merlot based wine with the possible addition of Pinot Noir, Freisa, Marzemino, Gropello Gentile, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. As a white, it is fresh, zesty, and dry and made from Tocai Friulano, with the possible addition of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Welschriesling, and Vespaiolo. But it is mostly sold as a varietal, of which there is two red (Cabernet and Pinot Nero) and three white (Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, and Vespaiolo).