By the Glass: Reverence for heritage distinguishes Italian reds

Italian and Mediterranean foods — a growing category among Hawaii restaurants — offer lots of vegetables in their preparations, particularly eggplant, roasted peppers, fennel and mushrooms.

When pairing wines with this kind of fare, I’ve had lots of fun searching out lighter- to medium-bodied, tasty, savory and well-balanced Italian “country”- style red wines, especially those served slightly chilled.

To help narrow this wide field, I tend to search out selections from family-owned wineries that produce artisan, authentic renditions true to their area, soils, indigenous grape varieties and/or heritage.

This category parallels small Italian restaurants in cities like New York, where recipes are handed down through the generations. This heritage says as much about the families as it does about their food.

Here are suggestions that I believe are well worth seeking out:

>> 2016 Luigi Giusti Lacrima di Morro d’Alba (roughly $21 a bottle): This wine was the belle of the ball at a recent industry winetasting. The Italian red comes from the Marche region on the east coast, a stone’s throw from the Adriatic Sea.

The lacrima grape and the Lacrima di Morro d’Alba appellation nearly faced extinction, but thankfully a few in this small region vehemently championed this heirloom, indigenous vine.

Luigi Giusti produces the most fascinating wine from this varietal that I have encountered. It combines a core of character and surprising intensity with lightness, seeming softness and wonderful perfume.

If you eat Mediterranean/Italian foods often at home, I suggest you have this wine available and serve it slightly chilled.

>> 2016 Venturini Valpolicella Classico (roughly $19 a bottle): For three generations, the Venturini family has been working the land in the hills surrounding the town of Verona in Italy’s northeast corner, tending the indigenous, heirloom corvina, rondinella and molinara vines.

Venturini wines are made in a very traditional style, much more transparent, complete and satisfying than more commercial counterparts. I love how easy-drinking it is, yet it has a wonderfully savory core and a deliciousness ideal for a wide range of foods.

>> 2015 Sassotondo Ciliegiolo (roughly $24 a bottle): The ciliegiolo grape was often used as a blending component in producing Chianti, but today such indigenous grapes are being replaced with international varieties such as cabernet or merlot. I was therefore thrilled to come across this red wine from Italy’s Tuscan Coast based on the ciliegiolo grape. I love its transparency, tastiness, wonderful food-friendliness and its timeless, true Tuscan character.

It’s nice to find a special spot where a grape variety can result in something unique and interesting.

>> 2016 Renzo Castella Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba “Rivolia” (roughly $24 a bottle): Castello Renzo’s home turf is in Piemonte, northwest Italy, specifically the enclave of Diano d’Alba, one of the most renowned and respected niches for the indigenous dolcetto grape variety.

Few lovers of Italian red wine would put Piemontese dolcetto on their list of top 10 wines of the country. Piemonte is, after all, the home to Barolo and Barbaresco, two of Italy’s most iconic trophy reds, and the revered nebbiolo grape variety. The region’s finest vineyards were therefore reserved for nebbiolo, in a search for prestige, acclaim and, of course, money.

Winemaker/owner Castella Renzo specializes in dolcetto, patiently nurturing his vines as a parent would a child. He is a working, all-in winemaker who is like a chef who still relishes going to the market early in the morning, and who prepares every facet of the night’s menu.

This is one of the few dolcetto wines that I have purchased over the years, because of its quality, charm, savoriness and how delicious and food-friendly it can be. It may not be “trophy” or award winning, but it sure is good and authentic.

Chuck Furuya is a master sommelier and a partner in the DK Restaurants group. Follow his blog at chuckfuruya.com.