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Skull Camp is a second line of "semi-dry" wines from Round Peak Vineyards near Mt. Airy, aimed at enthusiasts who find conventional varietals too dry.

Skull Camp Dedication, from the 2010 vintage, is 98 percent Sangiovese. But added to that is two percent Petit Manseng, an obscure French grape known for its aromatics and generous fruit. That tiny bit of Petit Manseng does yeoman labor because the juice is introduced unfermented, bringing this red up to 2.5 residual sugar level.

For many, this honeyed hint accents Sangiovese's red berry fruit profile and smooths tannin levels. In the end, this un-oaked red is silky, satiny and glides easily over the tongue.

"We target semi-dry wines made from grapes typically used for dry wines, with aroma profiles typical for vinifera, that is, Sangiovese, Chardonnay, Barbera. And that is also why we use Muscat or Petit Manseng rather than sugar," says Round Peak owner Ken Gulaian. "Yes, it costs us more but it enhances the varietal aromas."

Gulaian dedicates a portion of every sale of Dedication to the Skull Camp Fire Department.

Skull Camp gets its name from a smaller mountain top in eyesight of the winery, one that falls in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Ingredients:

1 pound linguine

1 pound hot Italian sausage (casing removed)

6 scallions, cut into ½ lengths

½ cup parsley

3 Tablespoons pine nuts

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup fresh-grated Parmiagiano-Reggiano cheese

Tablespoon of salt

Directions:

In pot of boiling water, add salt and cook linguine pasta until just tender. Drain pasta. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water.

In food processor, process and puree the scallions, parsley, pine nuts, and olive oil. Next add ½ cup of the cheese, season with pepper and process the pesto until blended.

In skillet, cook sausage over high heat, breaking the meat down with a wooden spoon, until browned. No pink should remain. Drain sausage and pour off fat.

Return sausage to skillet. Add the scallion pesto. Add the pasta and ¾ cup of the pasta cooking water. Simmer over medium heat, tossing until the sauce is creamy. If sauce is too dry, add more of the cooking water.

Transfer pasta dish to bowl and serve, passing remainder of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on the side.