Pergola Rosso Italian Red Wine

The Pergola Rosso red wine rivals any rosé

When spring rolls around, we're more than ready to trade heavy reds for bright and supple rosés.

But a recently discovered gem has us sticking in the red wine camp despite the increased hours of daylight: Meet Pergola Rosso, which is threatening to usurp rosés everywhere.

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This under-the-radar varietal from Italy's Le Marche region isn't new: It received D.O.C. status in 2005. But Pergola Rosso has only recently appeared Stateside.

Winemaker Paul Angelini coaxed 3,000 bottles out of his initial planting of the grape, and now his inaugural estate-grown vintage is available in more than a dozen states.

The 2010 Angelini Pergola Rosso ($17; click here to find it near you) has a soft lavender bouquet and tastes like an insane Jolly Rancher made from wild roses, cherries and strawberries. The wine should be served slightly chilled.

The wine is great on its own as a predinner drink, but it can also carry the weight of a meal. Sommelier Kyle Kelly, who offers the Angelini bottling at Al Forno in Providence, suggests pairing it with Italian classics such as spicy wild-boar ragù with fresh pappardelle or Bistecca Fiorentina, steak rubbed with olive oil, rosemary and garlic.

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Here's to a renewed life for red.

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