SURPRISINGWINES.COM – 9 APRILE 2016 Montalbera Grignolino d'Asti Grigne (2013), A Light, Refreshing Red From Northern Italy Montalbera Grignolino d'Asti Grigne 2013 is a northern Italian light red wine that still has a great deal "going on." There is fairly high acidity and tannins lurking under the surface in this light and fresh wine. You could even serve it cold. Fruit wise there is a hint of red cherry and maybe other red fruits like strawberry. My first thought was "candied cherry." This wasn't any indication of sweetness but rather an impression, a sense of color rather than what candied cherry would taste like. This wine doesn't change rapidly with exposure to air and even over time it changes only slightly. There is complexity here, fruit, acidity and tannins. The tannins are there from the first taste to the finish but they are understated and sneaky in this wine. The acidity and red fruit make this a really refreshing experience. The wine is 100 percent grignolino and reminds a little of another grape from northern Italy, schiava. Both are light bright wines but they also have more to them than you expect from a light red. This wine is something to drink on its own or with food. With food I might suggest lighter fare--pasta with red sauce or white pizza. I sometimes recommend it to people eating something you would normally serve with white wine. Grignolino is from the Piedmont area in the north of Italy. Apparently the name is refers to the high number of seeds the grape has which often caused the light wine to be disproportionately tannic. This wine isn't like that (nor is a sparkler made by the same company). Winemakers take steps to avoid crushing the seeds which keeps strong tannins from the wine. Again, as often noted here, you will see the "cabs and Bordeaux wines should be the ONLY wines" type disparaging a light, unusual wine like grignolino. Ignore them. This is a grape that IS what it is--a light wine. Not all wines need to be 16 percent alcohol and so nuclear fruit bombs. .