Description
Cantina de Pra, Pinot Nero
As a lover of bright, fragrant Pinot Noir, I think today’s wine is a no-brainer offer: It’s one of the best values I’ve seen, especially considering how expensive the “heartbreak grape” is to grow. As a marketer/merchandiser of wine, however, I find Cantina De Pra’s Pinot Nero to be a heavier lift: It’s packaged in a Bordeaux bottle, has a rather corporate-looking label, and it’s from an area not widely known for its prowess with Pinot Noir.
It’s packaged in a Bordeaux bottle, has a rather corporate-looking label, and it’s from an area not widely known for its prowess with Pinot Noir. Given how visual our medium is, and how traditional our tastes, you’d think we’d pass on this one, even with its startlingly low price. But this 2019 was the little engine that could, simply too good for us to pass up. It won itself a place of honor on our tasting table and should do the same on your dinner table sometime soon, especially if you appreciate finesse—it’s an Italian answer to the ethereal Coteaux Champenois reds of Champagne, a still Pinot Noir produced in the Prosecco-soaked northeastern Veneto. It’s the perfect weight for summer, too, light and floral and ready for a light chill. Like I said, it’s a no-brainer. Scoop it up by the case!
Located about 40 kilometers north of Venice, not far from Veneto’s regional boundary with Friuli, Cantina De Pra’s headquarters fall within the Piave DOC, an appellation so named for the Piave River, which runs down from the Alps and out into the Venetian lagoon. To the west are the Treviso and Conegliano-Valdobbiadene hills, the heartland of Prosecco, which makes up a sizable portion of Cantina De Pra’s diverse production. Giuseppe “Bepi” De Pra founded the estate in 1959 and has since handed the reins to his daughters, Severina and Debora, along with Debora’s husband, Luca. Their vineyards are mostly located near their home base in Ormelle, right in the heart of the Piave River Basin—a broad, “alluvial” plain with soils of clay, sand, and gravel.
This part of the northeastern Veneto is a real mashup of wine influences. After Prosecco, and its Glera grape, the vineyards contain a good amount of the Cabernets, Merlot, and Carménère, as well as local specialties such as the red Raboso and the white Tai (a.k.a. Friulano). Although Raboso has been growing in recognition, the best-known reds in this part of the world are Bordeaux-inspired, but there’s apparently enough of an Alpine influence to allow a cooler-climate variety like Pinot Noir to thrive, too. De Pra’s version is all about freshness and transparency, undergoing a very short skin maceration during fermentation and a brief aging in stainless steel tanks before bottling.
What came immediately to mind upon tasting this ’19 were some of the featherweight still Pinots of the Champagne region—Bouzy Rouge and Côteaux Champenois bottlings from producers like Paul Bara, Jean Vesselle, and Bérêche. Coming in at a friendly 12% a.b.v. and shining a light garnet red in the glass, it jumps out with aromas of wild strawberry, cranberry, pekoe tea and a hint of black pepper, this is taut, mouthwatering, straightforwardly delicious Pinot Noir. The amount of varietal character for the money had us all shaking our heads in amazement/admiration, and it is ready to drink now by design: Chill it to 50-55 degrees and serve it in Burgundy stems with BBQ chicken, pork tenderloin, or some soy-marinated grilled salmon. As summer-weight reds go, you won’t find a better value than this. Stock up accordingly and enjoy!
