Agostino Pavia, Grignolino d'Asti 2025

A crisp red? Well, yes—Grignolino d'Asti fits that description pretty well.

This is a local speciality of Piedmont that has been left in the shade in recent times by an international appetite for the region's bigger, darker wines, such as Barolo and Barbaresco, although it's said to be a favourite of Pope Francis—his father, Giovanni, made one of the most highly regarded Grignolinos in the Asti region.

For those who enjoy an authentic taste of something different, though, the Grignolino grape variety offers pale colour, bright blackcurrant and strawberry aromas, and a combination of high acidity and grippy tannins alongside generous juicy fruit.

Grignolino means 'pippy', and refers to the relatively high number of seeds in each grape. For the winemaker, the challenge is to express the variety's potential for delicate aromatics without including too much of the tannin stored in those pips.

Spicy and just about medium-bodied, the Pavias' Grignolino has appealing aromas of strawberries and redcurrants, with peppery herb notes. There's plenty of ripe fruit freshness in the mouth, and cleansing grip that makes this a really good lunchtime or light meal partner for creamy sauces, pasta with squash or pumpkin, and rabbit or duck dishes. Time will gradually subdue its arresting energy, but you should certainly try a bottle of this vigorous, appetizing wine in its high-voltage youth before making any cellaring decisions.