Does the devil wear Prada… or ruby red? Nothing changes, considering that the shoe on the movie poster is red for real. A red that does not go unnoticed but rather, attracts the attention of the viewer and, 15 years later, still remains a symbol.
The red color, imbued with a deep meaning, is capable of making the difference also in wine. This color has a thousand nuances but the one preferred by Italians is undoubtedly ruby red – not to be confused with purple or garnet, synonymous with young wine, well preserved and balanced.
Ruby red in the Land of Savoy: the sparkling Freisa di Chieri DOC
The ruby red preferred by the Piedmontese is the sparkling Freisa di Chieri DOC, with a delicate and fruity taste, and a harmonious and pleasant taste. It has an alcohol content of 11% and an acidity of 4.5 g/l.
It is one of those wines that, in the past generations, was used to obtain the so-called “bùta stùpa”, the “corked bottle”, the sparkling one with a bang. A very widespread peasant custom that is still remembered not only by the winemakers but also by several restaurants in the region, which have adopted that name to emphasize the “Piedmontese” wines and cuisine that can be tasted inside.
The ruby red that stands out among the trulli: Nero di Troia Puglia IGP
The Nero di Troia (https://www.crifo.it/blog/il-vino-da-uve-nero-di-troia-gradazione-e-caratteristiche/), red wine of Puglia par excellence, which boasts prestigious awards, including the 98 points in the yearbook of the best wines of Luca Maroni, awarded to the Grifone Nero di Troia Puglia IGP (https://www.crifo.it/en/product/grifone-nero-di-troia-puglia-igp/), is without a doubt an Oscar wine.
It has a characteristic ruby red with vermilion shades, almost tending to black, impenetrable like ink, thus managing to fascinate those who receive it, confirming to be an excellent gift for the most important occasions (https://www.crifo.it/en/blog/apulian-wines-the-best-christmas-gift/). A real must, in all seasons of the year, thanks to the attractive packaging with which the different labels are presented.
Considered among the best tannic wines from Italy (https:///www.crifo.it/blog/i-migliori-vini-tannici-ditalia/), it is recognized for its taste of ripe red fruits, including cherries and black-cherries. The alcohol content is 13% while the acidity is 5.3 g/l. And it is simply perfect in terms of quality/price ratio, because the ancient vine of Nero di Troia grows copious in sunny Puglia.
The ruby red in the Kingdom of the Bourbons: Etna DOC
The third prestigious ruby red wine can only be Etna DOC, with its nuances deriving from the peculiarities of the land where the vines are grown: the steep soils of the volcano from which it takes its name. The wine “a Muntagna”, “of the mountain”, as the people of Catania call it, refers to that mountain from which emerges the lava stone, a fundamental component of local wine.
Intense on the nose, it is harmonious, full-bodied and dry on the palate, with an alcohol content of 12.5% and an acidity of 5 g/l, more alcoholic than Freisa, less acidic than Nero di Troia.
Three wines, three different stories, a single color reminding of the passion for their land, also synonymous with the work of winemakers and producers who, from generation to generation, have tried to pass on those true values that are hidden behind the most prestigious labels.