Val d’Aoste is a difficult place to make a living as a small grower. Winters are cold and frosty, summers are hot and prone to drought, and there’s just not a lot of suitable vineyard land to go around. This is a perfect place for a cooperative like La Kiuva. About fifty growers own the winery and share the work, producing approachable and versatile wines from a blend of native varieties. This bouncy red is made from 70% Picotendro (the local Nebbiolo clone that shows the more delicate side of the variety), and the rest from Aoste-only varieties Gros Vien, Neyret, Cornalin and Fumin. The wine will taste familiar to any fans of Alto Piemonte reds or lighter style Langhe Nebbiolos, but this one is a screaming deal. Aromas of cherry cordial and strawberry, tarry earth and rose petals. The palate is etched with chalky tannins around a silky core of cranberry, cherry, and a bit of orange. dried herbs land gently on the finish alongside a lingering note of fruit.