Region: Campi Flegrei DOP, Campania, Italy

Varietal: 100% Piedirosso

Producer: This bottle is basically Campania in a glass. Colle Rotondella comes from Cantine Astroni, a producer rooted in the ancient, volcanic terroir of the Campi Flegrei just outside Naples — an area that’s been making wine since the Greeks planted vines here before Rome was a twinkle in anyone’s eye. Piedirosso is one of the region’s signature red grapes, rare outside southern Italy and perfectly tuned to volcanic soils, sea breezes, and Mediterranean sun. Astroni’s wines are soulful rather than flashy, showing a deep respect for place and heritage while pouring something immediately compelling.

Vineyard & Winemaking: The fruit for Colle Rotondella comes from the Camaldoli vineyards, planted on sandy soils with a tuffaceous volcanic matrix that gives this wine its distinctive sapidity and mineral edge. Farming is thoughtful and traditional: manual harvest in October, followed by a gentle prefermentative maceration and stainless-steel fermentation. After the wine finishes its primary fermentation, it spends about 4 months on the lees in steel before bottling, a choice that keeps the profile fresh, lift-oriented, and true to grape and soil rather than oak or heavy manipulation.

Tasting Notes: Pour a glass and you get that ruby-red Campanian smile right away — vibrant red berries, tangy plum, violet florals and a whisper of toasted spice underpinned by a bright, saline energy that feels like sea-salt air on the Amalfi Coast. On the palate it’s medium-bodied, dry, and refreshingly direct, with lively acidity, fine dusty tannins, and just enough earthiness to keep things interesting. Light but expressive, fun but nuanced — picture this alongside pizza with spicy salami, tomato-braised lamb, or a platter of grilled peppers and pecorino. It’s fun now, but drink over the next 2–4 years if you want it even more expressive.