Unusual Stuff: Italian varietals such as Nebbiolo and Sangiovese wer all the rage among California winemakers a few years ago. As far as we can tell, that trend never really took off- possibly because the real thing from Italy was often more charming and less expensive- but there are still some good "Cal-Ital" wines out there. In a wine store in Tallahassee, Fla., recently, we picked up a Dolcetto from Pavi Wines in Napa Valley (we paid $15.99, but the usual price is $18 to $20). Dolcetto, from the Piedmont region of Italy, is one of the world's most charming red wines, and this Californial version was lovely: light and fruity, with flavors of cherries and earth. It tasted like gently pressed, very fresh berries, with a tiny dollop of chocolate and a nicely dry finish.

We called the winery later, and Rob Lawson, who founded the winery in 1998 with his wife Pavi Micheli Lawson, said they made 1,000 cases that are sold in 20 states. "It's a tough sell," he says, "a real niche wine", but he's committed to honoring his wife's Italian heritage with "Italian varietals from California that are true to California terroir". Mr. Lawson predicts that it will take about 20 years for "Cal-Ital" wines to catch on, noting that they must be sold "at a price point that's not prohibitive". Meantime, if you see an Italian varietal made in the U.S.- not just reds, but whites such as Arneis- they are likely to be the products of winemakers like the Lawsons who are passionate about them, so they're certainly worth a try.

Tastings/by Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher

-Wall Street Journal, (Weekend Journal), March 2005