Roses are red, violets blue, Cleopatra loved this and..

Everywhere Aphrodite walked, roses bloomed and love filled the air.

Now thousands years after this Greek myth first appeared, the image of a rose—or even just the scent of one—is still synonymous with romance.

That is why Brachetto, a rose-petal aromatic red of Piemonte, has been a traditional wine for courtship.  Legend says that Brachetto was the wine that Julius Caesar chose to woo Queen Cleopatra.

The most common expression for Valentine's Day might be the sweet, sparkling style, Brachetto d’Acqui, which pairs with chocolate-covered strawberries. 

But Brachetto is traditionally still (sparkling wines didn't exist til centuries after Cleopatra), and not necessarily sweet. Indeed, the non-sweet "dry" style is a traditional table wine for everyday enjoyment. Being juicy, soft and bright, Brachetto has long been popular in Piemonte as the most quenchable red (compared to tannic varieties like Dolcetto and Barbera), and has a lore of being the wine of choice of actors of the Royal Theater.

This "dry" version of Brachetto is an excellent pairing with aromatic cuisines like Thai, Vietnamese and sushi, as well as northern Italian fare.

One that masters this style is Matteo Correggia's "Anthos" dry Brachetto 2022.

Dry Brachetto was Matteo Correggia's favorite drinking wine--his father's too--and as an ode to his heritage, third generation Giovanni Correggia devotes extra TLC to make this small production gem. Organic farming, light fermentation and short aging in stainless bring out the wine's natural freshness, soft tannins and bright acitity.

The result is a ruby red with brilliant clarity and an explosive nose like a bouquet of fresh red roses. On the palate, the wine is bright and juicy with notes of strawberry and lychee with a dry finish and a slight bitterness. 

I think you'll agree, Matteo Correggia Anthos Brachetto 2022 is an unforgettable delight, for Valentines Day and beyond.