Spaghetti Reds

Every Sunday when I was growing up, the aroma of my aunt's tomato sauce wafting upstairs from the kitchen would awaken me far earlier than I would have liked. But it was irresistible: the sweet smell of sautéed onions, the whisper of garlic, the fragrance of tomatoes and basil. No matter how late I had been out the night before, I'd have to get up just to have "the taste," a spoonful of the nearly finished sauce on a thick bread biscotto. "E buona?" she would ask with a barely perceptive, yet knowing, smile. "Squisito," I'd reply, always hoping for another sample that would never appear. A seven-hour wait until our two-o'clock Sunday dinner seemed like an eternity. I'd wait around the kitchen, reading the comics and sipping warm milk laced with espresso, until she'd go upstairs to get dressed for church. As soon as she hit the stairs, I'd make my move for the forbidden fruit. That second taste seemed even better than the first.

Back then, way before New Yorkers had discovered Northern Italian cuisine, Sunday sauce was, more often than not, a simple Neapolitan pomorola, plum tomatoes cooked for just under an hour with onions, garlic, basil, and olive oil. Spaghetti was the pasta of choice. For holidays or special occasions, meatballs, brasciole, or stuffed pork rinds, would be added and slowly simmered to make a rich ragu that was better suited for homemade noodles or stuffed pastas. Of course, every Italian family would have their own variations (a.k.a., secret family recipes) and each would claim theirs was the most authentic or the tastiest. But for some reason, almost anybody who tasted my aunt's simple spaghetti sauce acknowledged it was the best he or she had ever had.

So this month, I thought why not use her recipe as the food component for our tasting and find some truly tasty and very affordable Italian reds to pair it with. In fact, such wines are often referred to as "spaghetti reds" not so much because of their affinity for the pasta but because of their low price. But buying inexpensive wine doesn't require sacrificing quality--especially when it comes to Italian reds. The renewed interest in producing well-made wines in Italy, especially in the south, as well as the long string of good vintages there since the mid-nineties has resulted in an abundance and wide variety of wines that are both easy on the pocket and delicious on the palate.

When selecting a wine for a classic Italian tomato sauce, you should look for a medium-bodied red with adequate acidity and good fruit supported by supple or soft tannins. If you're having a richer meat sauce like a ragu Bolognese, choose a fuller bodied red with enough fruit and acidity to stand up to the meat. But above all, let your own palate be the guide.

To obtain a diverse enough assortment of wines for this tasting, I went to one of New York City's leading Italian-wine merchants, Vino Italian Wine and Spirits, and asked the manager, Charles Scicolone, to recommend "spaghetti reds under $15.00." "No problem," he said and, within minutes, we had thirteen wines from six distinct regions from as far north as Piedmont to as far south as Sicily with an average price of $11.50.

As is our custom, we tasted each of the wines individually without any food and then accompanied by the meal, which for this tasting consisted of spaghetti with a simple red sauce, based on my aunt's recipe, followed by a tomato salad and a selection of Italian cheeses. The wines are listed in the order in which they were tasted, from northern to southern Italy.

1998 Benotto, "Balau" Barbera D'Asti Superiore, DOC ($14.00)
Deep, deep ruby in color, this wine has beautiful legs and a huge, voluptuous nose of black cherry, violets, and smoke complemented by some earth notes. On the palate, this is a big wine. Medium to full bodied, it's well structured, with fruit and supple tannins nicely balanced. It's packed with dry, black-cherry and plum flavors along with some hints of white pepper. The flavors linger on the palate. The wine has good length and finishes with black cherry. "Refreshing," commented one taster. This wine was outstanding with the pasta. The first star of this tasting. Imported by Opici Import Company, Glen Rock, NJ.

1999 Busi, "Santa Sofia" Rosso Toscano, IGT ($9.00)
Light garnet in color, with good legs, this wine has an open nose of tobacco and some earth. Light bodied and dry, with soft tannins, it delivers burnt-sugar flavors with hints of smoke. It's nicely structured with good acidity and fruit but is a little short on the finish, which might be characterized by baking spices. We found this wine a bit too bright for our simple spaghetti and thought it might go better with a tomato-based seafood pasta. Imported by Niccolo Selections, Manhasset, NY.

1999 Busi, "Travignoli" Chianti Rufina, DOCG ($14.00)
Garnet in color, this wine has long, running legs and a forward pretty nose of black cherry, iris, and some hints of cedar. On the palate, it's medium bodied and dry. Well structured with good acidity, this is a fruit-forward wine that delivers plenty of black-cherry flavors. Although the finish is not long, it's complete and reminiscent of bitter almonds. A satisfying wine. Happy to play a supporting role with the meal, it was very good with the pasta. Imported by Niccolo Selections, Manhasset, NY.

1999 Stefano Mancinelli, "San Michele" Rosso Piceno, DOC ($12.00)
Deep, deep ruby in color, this wine has long, lush legs. Strawberries and dried figs characterize its big, forward nose, which eventually shows some hints of tar. Light to medium bodied, this wine has mild tannins and delivers peach and strawberry flavors that evolve into jammy strawberries on toast. The finish is adequate with strawberry and spice notes. It was good with the pasta. Imported by Niccolo Selections, Manhasset, NY.

1999 I Normani, Sannio Aglianico, DOC ($12.00)
This wine has a ruby color and long legs. The nose is pure toast complemented by floral, violet notes. Light to medium bodied, it offers deep, blue-plum flavors supported by supple tannins. Well structured with nice acidity, this wine has a good finish with wild cherries all the way to the end. It was unbelievably good with the pasta. A perfect match. Another star of this tasting. Imported by Niccolo Selections, Manhasset, NY.

2000 I Normani, Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio, DOC ($12.00)
Deep ruby in color, this wine has good legs. There's wild cherry and burnt sugar on the nose, which is still quite closed. Light bodied, with a nice mouthfeel, this wine has very soft tannins and delivers cherry flavors along with some smoke notes. There's good acidity for food as well. For a light-bodied wine, it has a surprisingly long finish with nuances of crème brulée. Another perfect match for the pasta. Imported by Niccolo Selections, Manhasset, NY.

1997 Cantina Sociale Cooperativa, Copertino Riserva, DOC ($10.00)
This blend of Negroamaro (95%) and Malvasia (5%) is garnet in color with some orange hues. It has good legs and a somewhat forward, floral nose of roses, with just a hint of rustic barnyard. Light bodied, it has a satiny mouthfeel. Dry, with still firm tannins, it delivers straightforward cherry and fennel flavors. It has good structure and acidity as well as a long finish with bitter-almond notes. It was good with the pasta. Imported by Dufour & Company, Ltd., North Bergen, NJ.

2000 Tormaresca, Aglianico - Cabernet, Puglia, IGT ($12.00)
Made from Cabernet Sauvignon (55%) and Aglianico (45%), this wine is deep ruby to ink-like in color and has gorgeous legs. Its huge nose seems to leap from the glass with forward, floral aromas of violets, cassis, and dried vines. One taster described it as "intoxicating." Medium to full bodied, it has good acidity and structure with supple tannins. It's packed with both fresh and dried fruit flavors, like plums and prunes, that linger on the palate. It has great length and finishes with blue-plum notes. A gorgeous wine. It was outstanding with the pasta. Definitely a star of this tasting. Imported by Remy Amerique, Inc., New York, NY.

1999 Conti Zecca, "Vigna del Saraceno" Leverano, DOC ($9.00)
Deep ruby in color, this wine has good legs. The nose offers aromas of cherries and grilled meats or bacon. On the palate, it's medium to full bodied, with rich caramel flavors followed by cherries and strawberries. It's well structured with good acidity and fruit. It also has a nice finish with burnt-strawberry notes. A voluptuous wine, it was excellent with pasta. Another star of this tasting and an outstanding value. Imported by Five Star Importers, Plainview, NY.

1997 Agricole Vallone, "Vigna Flaminio" Rosso Riserva, Brindisi, DOC ($10.00)
This blend of Negroamaro, Montepulciano, and Malvasia is ruby in color with nice legs. It has a forward nose with aromas of currants and baking chocolate, followed by some lighter cherry notes. Delicate and light bodied on the palate, it has a good balance of fruit and very soft tannins, along with plenty of acidity. It delivers loads of good jammy fruit. The finish is long, with hints of tart strawberries and pepper. It was exquisite with the pasta. Imported by William Grant & Sons, Inc., New York, NY.

1998 Cosimo Taurino, Rosso Riserva, Salice Salentino, DOC ($10.00)
This blend of Negroamaro (80%) and Malvasia (20%) is ruby in color and has good legs. It has a somewhat "hot" nose with rustic barnyard and iris notes. Medium to full bodied, it has a good mouthfeel and delivers raisiny flavors complemented, or rounded out, by nuances of dried apricots. It's nicely structured with good acidity and has a long, raisiny finish. A solid wine with the pasta. I might add that this wine, a long-time favorite, seems to have made a comeback after a couple of disappointing tastings. Imported by Winebow, New York, NY.

1999 Cantine de Dolianova, "Dolia" Cannonau di Sardegna, DOC ($13.00)
Garnet in color, this wine has nice, free-flowing legs. Aromas of dried figs and clustered roses make for a sumptuous nose. On the palate, it's delicate, light bodied, and dry, with flavors of figs and strawberries. It also has adequate acidity for food. The finish is a tad short yet complete and marked by allspice notes. It was very good with the pasta. Imported by Niccolo Selections, Manhasset, NY.

2000 Morgante, Nero D'Avola, Sicilia, IGT ($13.00)
This wine, made totally from Nero d'Avola, a grape unique to Sicily, is deep ruby to ink-like in color and has long, long legs. The nose is beautiful and huge with aromas of violets and iris wrapped in smoke-a seductive "Marlene Dietrich" nose--that finishes with some plum notes. This is a full-bodied wine with an elegant mouthfeel and good structure. It's packed with long lasting flavors of plums and melons and has an excellent finish with hints of sweet raisins. It was wonderful with the pasta. Definitely, another star of this tasting. Imported by Winebow, New York, NY.

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