Molise is perhaps Italy’s least-known region, and while its small wine culture is still largely unknown beyond its borders, this mountainous enclave tucked between Abruzzo and Puglia is nonetheless home to traditions of its own, its undulating, sunbaked terrain offering enormous potential for fine wine.
      After years living abroad, Giulio Steiger and his wife Margarita settled in Casacalenda, a commune situated roughly halfway between the capital city of Campobasso and the Adriatic coast, determined to create high-quality wines in Giulio’s native land. From 2015 to 2018, they planted twelve hectares of the region’s typical grape varieties—Montepulciano, Aglianico, and the native Tintilia—on west-facing slopes of limestone, clay, and sand. With a climate influenced by both the Apennines and the sea, along with the moderating effect of the nearby Lake Guardialfiera, this picturesque area has all the makings of a great wine terroir. Recognizing this potential, Giulio and Margarita built their azienda from the ground up, meticulously planning each step and refusing to take any shortcuts along the way.
      The young couple’s “Passatella” bottling has arrived in their inaugural shipment to Berkeley, and it makes a very strong case for Italy’s second-smallest region. A toothsome red wine showing deep, wild fruit of alluring levity, “Passatella” comes in convivial one-liter bottles perfect for sharing at a barbecue as the smoky smell of grilled meats starts wafting through the air, or for enhancing a family dinner of pasta with tomato sauce (yes, a couple does count as a family!). Give it some air or a quick decant and serve ever-so-slightly chilled to best appreciate the unique flavors and textures of this crunchy, soulful rosso from a previously unheralded corner of Italy. You might find Molise to be your new favorite wine region!