Banfi Rosa Regale

This past Fourth of July weekend I wanted to be a little more festive with my beverage choices but what do you pack for a boating trip in a heat wave?  My answer just happened to be chilling in my fridge at home.  A few weeks prior I found my favorite sparkling red wine Banfi Rosa Regale in a friend’s local wine shop.  I first tried this wine in Chelsea Market and it made a big impression on me then and it continues to do so now.  Rosa Regale 2009 is a Brachetto d’Acqui produced in Strevi, Italy from the Brachetto grape.  The color of this wine in the glass is a brilliant dark pink hue and it tastes just as good as it looks.  There are raspberry and strawberry flavors accompanied by those lovely sparkling bubbles on your tongue.  There is just enough acid to make the perfect blend of sweetness without being overly dry.  I love my red wine but in temperatures over 90 degrees I need something more refreshing,  making a sparkling red a wiser choice.  At 7% alcohol it is on the lighter side and as a plus it can be paired with almost anything from spicy food, poultry, and cheese, as well as desserts-especially those of the chocolate variety.  We enjoyed a few glasses on it’s own before dinner and then paired it with grilled chicken and asparagus.  I recommend this wine not only on hot summer nights but also when entertaining as a lower priced alternative to champagne.  Rosa Regale is reasonably priced at under $20 per bottle.