Bulli "Cör" Colli Piace Rosso NV

Press 4 Mix/Red • September 2025 Direct Press Selection

The labels on the Bulli wines look like they haven't changed since the 1950s, which may actually be true. They feature coins and medals that the winery has been awarded since its start in the 1880s, but despite this history it remains a quaint, family operation of just 12 hectares in a quiet pastoral area of the Piacenza hills. The soils here are complex with a lot of limestone and fossils from an ancient sea: they have even discovered whale fossils here. The labels also include the phrase "senza solfiti aggiunti" or "no added sulfites." This has always been the case at Bulli, as has their organic farming. They sell their traditional wines out of a repurposed horse stall to locals who line up every day. The wines are made by Leonardo Bulli but the real boss is his mother, La Signora Bulli.

Although they are known for the traditional frizzante wines of Emilia, they also make some still wines, including this "Cör" Rosso made from 40% Barbera, 30% Malvasia di Candia, 20% Bonarda, and 10% Uva Rara. Black cherry, dusty sage, and savory, earthy undertones are matched with tangy cranberry and lifted acidity, keeping this chewy red nice and lively. Despite zero sulfur and being sold out of a horse stall, there are no barnyard notes. It's just a zero BS wine that will shine with charcuterie, red sauce, or pizza. Jonathan Kemp