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 Co