Sommelier Joe Campanale on Summer Wines

Navigating a wine list can be tricky business unless you have a friend like Joe Campanale on speed dial.  Not only is he the co-owner of the beloved dell’anima and L’Artusi restaurants in New York’s West Village, but he’s also a Certified Wine Educator and Sommelier.

Besides being one of the youngest and brightest in his field, Campanale is deeply passionate about food and wine and holds various degrees in European and Food Studies.

Here he shares a few hidden gems, affordable yet highly rated summer wines, as well as one of his favorite splurges that he promises is worth the price tag.  His insider wine notes will be sure to impress even your most know-it-all friend the next time you’re asked to “pick up a bottle of something nice.”

Odoardi Savuto 2004 ($16)
The Odoardi family has owned land in Calabria’s Cosenza and Catanzaro provinces for over 500 years. Today they are committed to putting on the map some of Italy’s lesser known grape varieties . This food-friendly wine is a blend of the obscure Gaglioppo, Greco Nero, Nerello Cappuccio and Magliocco Canino grapes and shows beautiful flavors of ripe plums, herbs, minerality and toast.

Puig-Parahy 2008 Rosé ($13.99)
The first records of this vineyard date to 993 A.D. and the first recording of the family ownership dates to Etienne Parahy in 1440. It is a blend of Grenache between 60 and 80 years old and Carignan, some of which comes from vines over 130 years old. The land is situated in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains and has both the heat of the southern summer and the cold of the mountain winter. Both a fun and serious rose that has a ocean of strawberry flavors and refreshing minerality.

Ulacia 2008 Txakolina ($18.99)
Nicolas Ulacia e Hijos is a classically traditional winery located just 18 miles west of San Sebastian in the heart of Basque country. Ulacia Txakoli (pronounced chak-o-lee) is a light white wine that is best served as an aperitif or with seafood. Captured CO2 from fermentation is kept in the bottle in order to give the wine a refreshing, light quality. The wine itself is a pale yellow to green in color with bright aromas of green apple and pine. At only 11% in alcohol, the wine makes a perfect start to any meal.

Pra Soave Classico, Veneto, Italy 2007 ($15.99)
From their 10 Hectares of vineyards and winery at Monteforte D’Alpone in the heart of the Soave Classico zone, brothers Sergio and Graziano Pra make some of the most expressive Soave around. Filled with pear, almond and bright acidity, this wine is extremely versatile for summer foods, especially seafood and poultry.

Billecart Salmon NV Brut ($48)
Champagne Billecart-Salmon was founded in 1818 by Nicholas Francois Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon, and is run today by their descendent, Francois Rolland-Billecart. This aromatic, spicy Champagne shows cedar, honey and ginger notes with a lot of fresh baked bread, pears and flowers. This is always one of my favorite non-vintage Champagnes and even though it is a splurge, still represents a value over many others.

For reservations and private events at Campanale’s restaurants, visit dell’anima, 38 8th Avenue (212-366-6633) and L’Artusi, 228 West 10th Street (212-255-5757).

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