Kudos to Trader Joe’s for offering an extremely rare variety from Puglia and at $10 no less! We check out the latest vintage of the Ruggero di Bardo Susumaniello.
Susumaniello (yes, that’s a grape variety) from Puglia, Italy. (It is pronounced sue-sue-man-yell-oh.) The wine is matured in a combination of stainless steel and wooden vats. This variety is grown exclusively in Southern Italy.
The Ruggero di Bardo Susumaniello is available exclusively at Trader Joe’s and sells for just $9.99. Like a lot of the Trader Joe’s wines, the trademark is owned by D’Aquino Italian Importing Company. It is bottled by Azienda Agricola Poggio Le Volpi Societa Agricola.
From the Trader Joe’s:
A derivative of the Italian word somarello, which translates to donkey, some say that Susumaniello grapes were so named for the high grape yields the young vines were able to carry (much like the donkeys that were once used to carry the grape harvests). The grapes themselves possess concentrated levels of anthocyanins, resulting in deep red wines that boast beautifully bold structure, along with ripe red fruit flavors and aromatic notes of herbs and tobacco.
Elegant and powerful, with a lingering finish, Ruggero di Bardo Susumaniello is a tantalizing, textbook expression of this unique Italian varietal. The cool breezes of the Mediterranean moderate the Puglian vineyard temperatures where the grapes are grown, while the region’s warm climate and fertile soil contribute to the quality and richness of the late September harvest. After maturing in steel and oak barrels for three months, the finished wine makes for an excellent pairing partner to a range of savory, hearty dishes on a cool fall evening—think pappardelle with braised beef & porcini mushrooms, barbecued baby back ribs, or TJ’s English Cheddar with Caramelized Onions.
14.5% Alcohol
The aroma on the 2023 Ruggero di Bardo Susumaniello is loaded with cherry, black cherry and other very ripe, almost dried, berry fruit plus all kinds of spice, along with cedar, licorice and a little vanilla.
This one definitely needs a lot of time to open up but when it does, you’ll find lots of rich, dark, raisin-ed fruit (it almost tastes like it is made from dried grapes including a bit of sweetness) plus plenty of spice, lots of vanilla and touches of smoked meat. It’s got a distinct, unique taste profile (that my wife did not like at all) and good depth of flavor plus silky tannins. This vintage isn’t quite as over-the-top as the 2021 we last reviewed which gives the wine a bit more balance.
It ends with a touch of heat and lasting spicy dried fruit notes on the long finish. It was just as good day 2.
It certainly won’t blow your socks off but major kudos to Trader Joe’s for bringing in an unknown grape like this especially at such a low price.
2023 Ruggero di Bardo Susumaniello
RECOMMENDED BUY
As always you can find an updated list of our recommended wines from Trader Joe’s as well as more info on their pricing model and some tips and tricks for shopping the store in our giant guide.
You can also find more of our favorite Italian wines here!
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