Italian Gem

Wine shopping is something I know a little bit about. When you're working with a limited budget, you want to get the most for your wine dollars.

Being the wine geek that I am, I've learned to recognize the way that wine buyers work, especially with large retailers. World Market isn't someplace I would normally think to shop, but experience has taught me otherwise. They pick up some interesting and tasty stuff.

Exhibit A:


Cantina Zaccagnini Montepulciano d' Abruzzo "Tralcetto" Riserva 2007 ($12.99, World Market)

I'm not as impressed with the 90 point rating from Bobby Parker as I am with the juice inside the bottle. This is a serious bottle of wine: silky, balanced, complex and easily mistakable for a $20+ bottle of wine.

If you can find some in your neck of the woods, buy it. You won't be sorry.

Salute.