2023 Nespoli Sangiovese Romagna Superiore "Prugneto"

Poderi dal Nespoli has been making wine in Romagna since 1929, four generations of the Ravaioli family refining their craft in the lush hills southeast of Bologna. Prugneto is the name of the first vineyard the family bought back in the 1960s — the one that started it all — and this wine has been the house's calling card ever since. It's a reference point for what Sangiovese can do in Romagna: bright, taut, built for the table.

The 2023 is 100% Sangiovese from the Bidente Valley, grown on predominantly clayey soils in northwest-facing vineyards. Fermentation runs with indigenous yeasts; most of the wine sees steel, but 30% spends a few months in 25-hectoliter French barrels to add a little structure and spice without covering the fruit. The result is classic Sangiovese in its most straightforward, most drinkable form — tart red cherry, soft tannins, a spine of acidity that makes you reach for another glass.

In the glass: bright ruby red, aromas of ripe cherry and plum laced with violet, leather, and a thread of licorice. The palate is fresh and juicy, tannins smooth and integrated, the finish dry and long with a spicy kick. This is the kind of wine that makes weeknight pasta feel like an occasion.

$22.99 for a wine that drinks like the $35-$40 Sangiovese you see at retail. Romagna's answer to everyday Chianti — more fruit, less ego, better value. Pull the cork tonight.