Pairs with: A classic Pizza Margherita, a rustic platter of prosciutto and salty salumi, herby summer salads, light pasta dishes like agnolotti del plin, or smoked fish tacos with a squeeze of lime. Good for: Cracking open during a sweltering summer heatwave, serving as a low-ABV, thirst-quenching aperitivo to kick off a backyard barbecue, or keeping a highly festive, crowd-pleasing pink wine chilled for casual park picnics. Grape: A unique, clever blend of 85% Barbera, 12% Arneis, and 3% Moscato. I am from: Piemonte IGT, Piedmont, Italy (Sourced from steep, sustainably farmed estate vineyards in the hillside village of Mango, within the province of Cuneo). The Story: Tucked into the dramatically steep, limestone-rich hills of Mango, Azienda Agricola Tintero is a beloved four-generation family estate operating in the heart of traditional Moscato d’Asti country. While the region is globally famous for its aristocratic, long-lived reds like Barolo, the Tintero family—currently spearheaded by Marco Tintero—has earned a cult-like global following for doing something beautifully different. Championed by legendary importer Kermit Lynch, they focus on crafting joyful, unpretentious, and effortlessly gulpable everyday table wines that celebrate Piedmont's lighter side. To create their signature Rosato, they pull off a brilliant winemaking trick: they take the deep red, acid-driven Barbera grape and co-ferment it with a splash of aromatic native white grapes, Arneis and Moscato. Fermented naturally with native yeasts and bottled with just a tiny whisper of its natural fermentation gas trapped inside, it is a masterclass in low-intervention refreshment that values pure, backyard-ready fun over stiff corporate pretense. Why You'll Love Me: It is bright, incredibly playful, and gently spritzy—the ultimate "porch pounder" that hits the tongue with a delightful, tongue-tingling fizz before washing it clean with crisp acidity. It pours a brilliant, translucent salmon-pink color in the glass. The nose is highly expressive and instantly festive, bursting with a vibrant basket of wild strawberries, juicy pomegranate, and bruised field peaches, woven together with top notes of tangerine peel, ginger root, and a faint kiss of floral potpourri. On the palate, it strikes with a beautifully light frame and an easygoing alcohol presence (around 11.5% ABV). While it boasts an ultra-charming, juicy core of red berry fruit that hints at a tiny touch of summer sweetness, it remains entirely mouthwatering and bone-dry on the finish thanks to Barbera's naturally electric, laser-sharp acidity and a clean mineral snap.
