Treat Your Taste Buds to a Trip Across Italy with Molto Delizioso Wines at Whole Foods Market®

Taste and tweet on March 13 and April 10

Eight stylishly seductive wines from some of Italy’s most notable winemakers will be highlighted at Whole Foods Market stores across the country this spring. At excellent values and all under $16, the featured wines range from a fun-loving, flirty prosecco from Veneto that is a perfect bubbly for brunch, to a rich, rustic red from Sicily that begs to be sipped at sunset outdoors.

Italy’s wine producing regions are some of the oldest in the world. Known for their great versatility and quality, Italian wines provide a diverse range of around 350 varieties from 20 growing regions.

“We have carefully selected a set of high quality Italian wines with a real sense of place that encourage wine lovers to taste their way through the country,” said Doug Bell, global beverage buyer for Whole Foods Market. “In this selection, we included some traditional varietals as well as some off-the-beaten track wines.”

Twitter Tasting

Wine enthusiasts 21 and older can taste these wines at Whole Foods Market store tasting events or join two Twitter Tastings using hashtag #WFMwine. Dates, times and wines featured include:

Thursday, March 13, 7-8 p.m. CT:

• Ruffino Orvieto Classico
• Banfi Principessa Gavia Gavi
• Donnafugata Sedàra
• Gran Passione Rosso

Thursday, April 10, 7-8 p.m. CT:

• Caposaldo Pinot Grigio
• Monrosso Chianti
• Verrazzano Rosso
• Presto Prosecco

Featured Italian wines include:

Caposaldo Pinot Grigio – White fruit, cut flowers and intriguing mineral aromas are on the nose followed by kiwi tartness balanced by mellow honeydew notes. The finish is dry, crisp and crowd-pleasing.

Ruffino Orvieto Classico – Fresh flowers and citrus on the nose are followed by ripe green apple up front, sassy acidity and a characteristic touch of mineral. The finish is long and fragrant with almond notes.

Banfi Principessa Gavia Gavi – Vivid aromas of pineapple and tangy green apple are on the nose, and there is a lovely balancing act between juicy ripe pear notes and bright acidity with a clean, delicate finish.

Donnafugata Sedàra – Fresh cherry and strawberry aromas give way to cascading notes of sun-dried cranberries, black olive and peppercorn. The finish is rich, deep, and rustic.

Monrosso Chianti – Lavender and cranberry aromas blend in this soft rich ruby red wine. Gentle tannins, abundant fruit, and a well-balanced finish characterize this textbook Chianti.

Verrazzano Rosso – This red has complex aromas of fresh fruits and violets followed by Tuscan herbs, black currant and pomegranate flavors that move to a smooth finish.

Gran Passione Rosso – Ripe blackberry and chocolate-covered cherries distinguish this delicious aroma. This rich red is jammy with notes of black fruit and a satisfyingly long, dense finish.

Presto Prosecco – This sparkler has orange blossom aromas and honey notes. Frisky flavors of apple and citrus bubble to the front and then make room for a light fresh finish.

Whole Foods MarketAshley Hawkins, [e-mail]