Looking for something different? Something a bit sweet and a bit bubbly? And red but lightly chilled? Maybe something low in alcohol for dessert to pair with chocolate or fruit, or even better, the cookies your Italian Grandma always made?

Then you might find what you’re looking for in Brachetto D’Acqui! This month the Italian Food Wine Travel writers is traveling virtually to northern Italy to try this wine out. Host Cindy Rynning traveled there herself and discusses the area here in her invite post. Made from the grape Brachetto and originally from the area of Piedmont near Asti and Allessandro, the wine is generally light, bright, full of fresh tart red fruit, and fun!

We weren’t going to participate this month because we couldn’t find the wine but when one turned up at Grocery Outlet, we were happy to be in business! We paired the wine with Sue’s Italian grandmother’s anise almond cookies which most people today are familiar with under the name biscotti. We got together before the world shut down to taste this wine along with the dessert she prepared of her grandma’s cookies and cherries poached in wine with marscapone.

2018 Tre Secoli Brachetto D’ Acqui – DOCG –
5% alcohol – $10 at grocery outlet

I didn’t know what to expect from this wine but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It is a sweet wine, but it is not cloying. There is a sweet tart element present, but when paired with Sue’s dessert, it was wonderful. The alcohol is only 5% so at the end of the night to have something that is like dessert, but is not high in alcohol, is great.

Color: Sparkling bubbles, rhubarb, or raspberry in color

Nose: Bramble fruit, raspberry to blackberry

Palate: Sweet tart, bright fruit, definitely a dessert wine, but not too sweet.

Pairing: Sue wanted to make this dessert because she felt it would be a perfect match for this wine, and she was right: the fruit and the cream with the wine created a wow moment for all of us at the table.

Sue’s Italian Grandma’s Cookies

4 eggs beaten
1 cup sugar
1 T anise seed
1 cup almonds blanched and roasted whole
3 cups flour
3 t baking powder
1 t salt
2 lemon and 2 orange rinds grated

Roll out with rolling pin and sprinkle with almonds. Roll up and bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or untill nicely brown.Cut when still warm (about 1/2 to 3/4 inch slices). Place slices cut side down on baking sheet. Place back in oven and bake 5 to 10 minutes then flip over and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more. She then used this recipe to poach the cherries and for the cream.

Who else is writing about what?

• Susannah at Avvinare explores Brachetto d’Acqui – A Treat from Piedmont.
• Nicole at Somm’s Table pairs Marenco Pineto Brachetto d’Acqui and Simple Strawberry Treat.
• Lynn at Savor the Harvest is ready to Brighten Up Lockdown with Brachetto d’Acqui Sparkling Wine.
• Jennifer at Vino Travels is enjoying Brachetto: The Sweet Red Bubbly of Piedmont.
• Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla pairs Stracotto di Manzo al Vino Rosso + Brachetto d’Acqui.
• Gwendolyn at Wine Predator matches Brachetto d’Acqui and Grandma’s Biscotti with Cherries Poached in Red Wine and Marscapone.
• Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm is Whiling Away the Time with Marenco Brachetto d’Acqui Pineto.
• Jeff Burrows at Food Wine Click! finds Piemonte Brachetto: Sweet, Fizzy and Red!
• Terri at Our Good Life spends An Afternoon of Wine Learning: Brachetto d’Acqui.
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass is Bingeing on Brachetto, Biscotti, Berries and a Chocolate Bunny.
• Marcia at Joy of Wine is exploring Brachetto: The Sweetie of Piemonte.
• Host Cindy at Grape Experiences plans to Bring Joy to the Table with Brachetto d’Acqui and Budino al Cioccolato (Chocolate Pudding Italian Style).

Brachetto d’Acqui Twitter Questions
Saturday, April 4, 2020 8am Pacific
Follow #ItalianFWT

• :00 Welcome to #ItalianFWT and our chat about #brachettodacqui! Please introduce yourself! Where are you tweeting from? Share a link to your blog. #ItalianFWT
• :05 How familiar were you with #brachettodacqui before this #ItalianFWT experience?
• :10 Have you ever tasted wines of #brachettodacqui prior to the #ItalianFWT opportunity? Why or why not?  Have you had the wine at a restaurant?
• :15 In your research about the area in which #brachettodacqui is cultivated, what did you discover about the land, people, traditions? Share a special photo if you can.#ItalianFWT
• :20 Have you ever traveled to northern Italy and visited Acqui Terme, Monferrato and Piemonte? If so, what was the most memorable takeaway from that experience? Share a photo! #ItalianFWT
• :25 Did you have a difficult time finding a bottle of #brachettodacqui? Where did you ultimately find it? #ItalianFWT
• :30 We’ve sipped #brachettodacqui. What are your thoughts? Is this a wine you would pour on a regular basis or for celebrations or both? Share a link to your blog post. #ItalianFWT
• :35 If you paired #brachettodacqui with a recipe, share its story. Is it a regional dish from Piemonte?  #ItalianFWT
• :40 Will you make the recipe again and pair with #brachettodacqui? What other foods could you consider? Share a photo of your dish. #ItalianFWT
• :45 Have you thought about using #brachettodacqui in a cocktail? If yes, which one? #ItalianFWT
• :50 At #ItalianFWT we try to inspire others to learn about a new variety or region and try a new recipe for pairing. What would you say to a #brachettodacqui newbie?
• :55 Thank you @GrapeExp_Cindy for hosting our chat about #brachettodaqui. Join us on May 4 when we’ll delve into the wines of Campania with Susannah Gold @Vignettocomm.