When serving wine, there are few situation that I take as seriously as when I’m buying a bottle for family or friends that aren’t as invested in wine as I am. Especially if they are wine lovers, but tend to go for the commercial labels from the commercial regions. Perhaps it’s a similar pressure felt when one is given the task to order a bottle for a table in a restaurant. A situation to please others that I certainly wont handle by finding the juiciest and oakiest Shiraz/Cab. I want to share something that I think is cool and interesting and most likely a little on the obscure side. The story the wine is presented with obviously goes a long way to getting others on-board and this is why many of the best sommeliers are also great story tellers. Yet, I know no matter how much I talk up a bottle of Vin Jaune or most other Jura whites, I’ve got aunts and uncles that are going to despise it.

I found myself in this situation earlier this week when I was buying a bottle to drink with relatives. I wanted something light and soft with a vibrant fruitiness and I was looking to Sicily.

The COS ’07 Frappato comes from Vittoria in Southeast Sicily and is a blend of 70% Frappato with 30% Nero d’Avola from young vines. It isn’t inoculated with dry yeast and ferments in stainless steel. It’s quite light with bright gorgeous red fruit and a smokey, spicy edge. Beautiful wine. I enjoy it more than the COS Cerasuolo di Vittoria label and it’s less expensive. $27 at Biondivino in SF.

They loved it too.

Do you have any go-to wines that you love to share with non or less frequent wine drinkers?