"summer estates wines" news and stories

Bonarda is a tricky wine to find. That's because there are few wineries making it. While in Argentina it's referred to as Bonarda, the California wineries – among them, Summers Estate Wines in Calistoga and Robert Foley Vineyards in Napa Valley – call it Charbono.

The confusion doesn't stop there. The jury is still out on whether Bonarda grown in Argentina is actually Bonarda Piemontese or Bonarda Novarese (also known as Uva Rara). But what we do know is that Bonarda used to be the most widely planted grape throughout all of Argentina until Malbec recently surpassed it. Bonarda's claim to fame used to be that it was incorporated into a red table-wine blend. Now, however, there are several 100% Bonarda varietals on the market.

As far as pairing with food, grilled vegetables and Argentine-style beef are amazing with Bonarda.

After the jump, check out the Bonarda wine we recently fell for.