The 12-year-old wine scored 16 points on the Dionysian scale of 20. It had 13% alcohol, and cost under $16. It’s at peak. The 2008 Moletto Refosco comes from the Veneto Orientale IGT of Italy and a great food wine, but Americans don’t know the grape. Black fruits, spice and garden herbs with mineral notes.

We had it with a tomato-based pasta. Perfect. This wine highlights nearly every food. My novel, A Quart Jar of Peaches is about kids learning about the really important things in life.

Many of the Dionysians keep a bottle or two of Refosco in their cellars to share when they have freinds over who have never enjoyed this wine. That’s a great idea and shows how wine enhances all civilized activities. In Vino Veritas