2013 Falesco Est! Est!, Est! di Montefiascone, Umbria, Italy            $11

The legend goes that in the 12th century, a wine-loving bishop was traveling through the Italian countryside on his way to see the coronation of the Pope. As he traveled, he would send a scout ahead of the convoy to let him know the wine of the area was good by marking “Est” (“It is”) above an inn’s door. As the scout traveled ahead to Montefiascone, the wine was apparently so good, that the scout marked that location with “Est! Est!! Est!!!” Montefiascone remains an excellent wine today, particularly so when crafted by Cotarella, who blends 50% Trebbiano, 30% Malvasia, and 20% Roscetto together for legendary results. This wine is  delicate straw-yellow in color, the nose offers playful aromas of citrus, apple, and white flowers. On the palate, its crisp acidity is balanced with soft flavors of pear and melon which make for an easy-to-drink, refreshing wine. Drink this wine on its own, or pair it with grilled fish, velouté sauces, chicken satay, or oysters Rockefeller. Alcohol: 12%

2009 Monti Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC, Abruzzo, Italy        $15

This small, family-owned winery even involves the family dog on the bottle. “Baffo,” meaning “mustached” in Italian, is the name of Monti’s Spinone breed that appears on each bottle. The Spinone are famed as being versatile hunting dogs of ancient heritage with origins in northern Italy. The wine is  unfined and unfiltered to preserve all its fleshy, fruit flavors. It  has a dark, inky, red color and intense aromas of ripe blackberries, cherries, and herbs with undertones of licorice, black pepper, and smoke. It is generous, yet pure on the palate and is ripe with round tannins and delicate acidity. This offers an excellent overall structure. Pair this wine with sausages, tomato sauces, barbecue, and ancho chile-based dishes. Alcohol: 14.5%