Ippolito 2005 Ciro Rosso Liber Pater, Calabria ($17.99)

 I've said it before and I'll say it again - if you want to "get down with the funk", you must sample the wines of Italy - there is no country with such a diverse range of funky wines.  Don’t worry, I mean “funky” in a good way!  What is The Funk? Well, it's different for every taster, but for me it's about off-the-beaten-track aromas, flavors, and textures. Terms like earthy, dry, tangy, gamey, meaty, and sinewy often come to mind.  Ethereal, surprising, and sexy are other terms that apply just as easily.  If your average California Merlot is pop music then these wines are funk (of course), opera, punk rock, acid jazz, Jimi Hendrix, Shuggie Otis, John Coltraine, Bjork, Beck, Bob Dylan, and Janis Joplin. They offer a different point of view. Not automatically better but usually always interesting. These are wines that start conversations.

 What I love so much about the Ippolito 2005 Ciro Rosso Liber Pater from Calabria is that it mixes ripe fruit with The Funk, so you get the best of both worlds!  Plus it’s got history behind it.  The winery itself was established in 1845, but the wine of this zona (Ciro DOC) was being made when this part of Italy was still part of Greater Greece!

The wine itself is made from 100% Gagliopo, and has a dark ruby color with aromas of dark cherry, flowers, spice, herbs, meat, and game. Flavors of dark cherries and red berries, with chewy tannins on the finish. This was aged 6 months in barrique and is a classic Italian in the earthy mode, but not so much so that it will turn off newcomers.  Like most Italian wines that "do the funk", this will show better with food than without and also benefits from some air, becoming silkier and smoother after about 20 minutes.  Enjoy!