An Oregon dolcetto is the latest winner from Di Bruno Bros. wine collaboration series

Amid the boom of private retailers that have been selling wine over the past few years after changes to Pennsylvania liquor laws loosened the grip of state-run stores on that domain, Di Bruno Bros. has emerged as a prime purveyor of small production, indie bottles one couldn’t find within the state’s borders beyond restaurant lists. It’s no surprise, perhaps, that the region’s leading source for specialty foods would extend its reach into carefully curated beers and wines. But Sande Friedman, Di Bruno’s beverage buyer, has taken another step by becoming part of the creative process through a series of collaborations with respected winemakers.

These are not your typical private-label deals, where stores slap house labels on some generic juice. Friedman’s team has been hands-on, from helping to crush grapes in some cases to giving tasting notes and feedback on blends. And the collaborations series, now in its fifth edition with a dolcetto from Oregon’s Pray Tell Wines, consistently showcase local connections and the kinds of personal relationships that have always characterized Di Bruno’s other core products, from Maloof in Oregon (owned by Philly restaurant-world vets Bee and Ross Maloof) to standout local wineries Wayvine and Galen Glen. The Willamette-based Pray Tell is another Oregon winery with local connections: Winemaker Tom Caruso grew up making wine with his grandfather in South Philly.

Coming up in 2023, Di Bruno’s will be releasing an aromatic white blend from Red Newt Cellars in the Finger Lakes, another rosé fermented in the wild French style from Galen Glen, and then back to Oregon for a fall release of a Rhone-inspired wine from Division in Willamette Valley.

This dolcetto is medium-bodied but also one of the heartiest wines in the collaboration series to date, with dark blueberry fruit, tartness, and chewy tannins that give it some aging potential. But it also has a bright acidity and black pepper spice that makes it wonderfully drinkable now. With about 30 minutes of breathing time, it was a perfect match for the smoky savor of my grilled Thanksgiving bird, and it has versatility to be a companion to a wide range of holiday menus. As a bonus, Di Bruno’s has flexed its curd clout to make this a double collaboration, pairing up with Jasper Hill Farm to make a unique version of its award-winning Whitney, a raclette-style beauty whose rind was washed with this dolcetto instead of the usual white wine. Supplies of the cheese are limited, and may last only until the new year. But Friedman says Di Bruno’s 100-case supply of the dolcetto should be available into mid-January.

Di Bruno X Pray Tell Wine #5 Dolcetto, $40, 750 ml; dolcetto-washed Jasper Hill Farm Whitney, $12.50 a 6 oz. slice; both available at Di Bruno Bros. locations and online; Dibrunobros.com