So a friend is planning an Italian wine/food event and was one of several invited over to help select four reds. I was by far the most experienced person on the panel but that was fine because the wines selected from this group needed to appeal to a variety of palates. Every bottle was from a different region of Italy and suggested by the wine guy at the local Food Coop. All were under $20.
2021 Lunaria Ruminat Terre di Chieti IGT Primitivo, Zinfandel
Lacks the body, black fruit and spice I know primitivo can (and should) have, but it's juicy and not at all unpleasant.
2022 Feudo di Santa Tresa Terre Siciliane Frappato First tasted this back in May, but enjoyed this bottle even more. Clear, bright, and eager to please. Not Occhipinti-level, and perhaps I was too swayed by its resemblance to the Nehi strawberry soda pop I loved as a child, but despite the modernity it's undeniably charming--I liked it as much as the newbies did. A unanimous selection.
2022 Tintero Langhe Nebbiolo Langhe DOC
Another unanimous selection. Was definitely amazed on first taste--this Kermit Lynch import offers both purity (fruit) and attitude (a little earth and tar) in an uncommonly good way for $16-18 retail. A really great every day Italian red.
2019 Palamà Negroamaro Arcangelo Salento IGT
Soft and evolved with that classic raisin-y nose of old world warm climate Italian reds. Very nice; but I liked more than the others did and ultimately it was not selected.
2021 Di Majo Norante Sangiovese Terre degli Osci IGT
Unanimously disliked. On the green side with more tannins and none of the joyful characteristics of Sangiovese. From Molise, not Tuscany. Retasted several times over several hours and no improvement noted. And no, not corked.
2019 Tenuta Sant'Antonio Scaia Paradiso Veneto IGT Red Blend
Bigger, riper and sweeter than the Valpolicellas I enjoy though made with the same typical trio of grapes plus 10% cabernet sauvignon. I hated it initially while most of the others, easily swayed by bigness, liked it. But an hour later, while it remained sturdier than average (the CS?), the curtain of ripeness pulled back and made it a very reasonable drink with a nice herbaceousness. Of the wines on the table, this is the one you'd choose to pair with a steak. Not my thing, but for contrast I could not disagree that it would round out the selections.