“It’s always windy here,” says Alessandro Bonci as a gust of cool air whirs past us. It’s springtime, and we are overlooking the colorful parcel whose grapes will become his Passolento cuvée. The plot looks more like a field of wildflowers than a vineyard. It is covered in bright yellow blossoms—mustard plants—whose deep roots help loosen soil and provide nitrogen; on the surface they serve an important role as well: “for beauty, for our pleasure.” My heart swells. It’s easy to see how these vines, pampered by Alessandro and prized for their exceptional fruit, yield a complex and chalky white wine that’s reminiscent of Chablis or great Vermentino.

Upon stepping into Castagnoli’s vineyards, you feel something invigorating afoot. Stacked and terraced, they are a sight to take in, decorated with cherry, apple, and olive trees that bring not only beauty and character but also natural biodiversity to the landscape. This surge of life permeates the air. Their alberello (head-trained) vines are trellised in this style to optimize for balanced ripening along with a slew of other benefits to the fruit. It’s a labor-intensive choice, but they find they better translate the terroir by putting in the extra effort. Tasting the wines, which are vibrant and aromatic, I couldn’t argue with that.

Our Bugey-Cerdon has long been the only off-dry sparkling wine we import, but today it is joined by an Italian counterpart: a cheerful, cherry-scented Lambrusco made in the amabile style. With just a touch of sweetness, this delightful frizzante boasts a blushing mousse that dissolves into a vinous juice the color of ruby beets—a hue that’s extracted over a few days of skin maceration. The wine is effervescent, of course, softly tannic, and easy to sip. It’s well-suited to moments of merriment like an aperitivo or dessert, as easily paired with a handful of salty pistachios as it is with ripe berries.