The Italy Wine Project

Regions / Veneto

DOCStill huntingModerate

Colli Berici DOC

Limestone hills south of Vicenza with two specialties worth chasing: Tai Rosso, which is Grenache under a local name, and Carmenere, which grew here for a century mislabeled as Cabernet Franc. Tai Rosso is pale, fragrant and peppery, with wild strawberry and dried herb, sometimes made almost like a rosato; the Carmenere is deep, herbal and spicy with blackberry and green peppercorn and can take some oak. Whites are mostly Garganega and Pinot Bianco, clean and mineral. Inama, Piovene Porto Godi and Dal Maso are the estates that have given the zone a reputation.

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Bottles I'm chasing

ProducerWinePriceBuy
Inama
Colli Berici Carmenere Carminium
The zone's flagship red, from the Soave producer's Berici estate; blackberry, green peppercorn, tobacco and polished tannin.
$28 to $35Wine-Searcher
Piovene Porto Godi
Colli Berici Tai Rosso Riveselle
Noble family estate at Toara; a lively, pale, peppery Grenache with wild strawberry, meant for a light chill.
$18 to $25Wine-Searcher
Dal Maso
Colli Berici Tai Rosso Colpizzarda
Single-vineyard Tai Rosso with a little oak, more structure and dark cherry than most.
$20 to $28Wine-Searcher