Reflections: In Search of … Less

, ,

“Dry January” is behind us, but many of you might decide you need to “cool off” at other times throughout the year. Whether you are taking a break from drinking altogether or simply trying to slow it down, we have got you covered. At Paul Marcus Wines, we have a generous selection of non-alcoholic and low-abv wines available.

What is non-alcoholic wine anyway? Dealcoholized wine is produced when the alcohol has been forcibly removed from the juice, either by reverse osmosis or vacuum distillation. The resulting juice concentrate is tweaked so that the flavors best mimic the tastes and textures of wines with alcohol. By U.S. standards, a wine must contain less than 0.5 percent alcohol by volume (abv) to be classified as alcohol-free. Some of my favorite non-alcoholic options at the shop include the Leitz Riesling (both sparkling and still), Eric Bordelet’s Jus de Pomme (sparkling apple juice), and the customer-beloved Phony Negroni. 

When it comes to wines with lower alcohol levels, it’s a matter of defining what “low” really means. At one time—particularly in the cooler areas of Europe—it was a challenge to reach 12.5 percent abv. This is why many wine-growing appellations have minimum alcohol requirements to qualify for appellation status—for example, Barolo and Rioja—as this used to be a method to guarantee a regional style and quality.

However, as heat waves continue to grip both Europe and California, we are seeing ever-riper grapes with almost every vintage. We now even see white wines reaching past 14.5 percent abv! Winemakers must learn how to regain balance and freshness for their wines, and this has led winemakers and growers to seek cooler zones and shady hillsides.

In other cases, many growers simply choose to harvest the grapes earlier—on average, at least a month earlier than what was once traditional. Of course, this technique isn’t without its complications. For one, picking early for lower potential alcohol might result in grapes that are lacking phenolic ripeness—meaning they might be devoid of the textures and flavors that make chardonnay taste like chardonnay. Alternatively, wines that have natural sweetness, such as some rieslings, Lambrusco, or Moscato, tend to be lower in alcohol because there is sugar from the grapes that has not been fermented, known as “residual sugar.” In these examples, bright acidity balances out the sweetness so that the wines are not cloying.

When making low-alcohol-wine recommendations, I often seek out options grown at high elevations or on the coast. Some of my favorite “mountain wines” are grown in cooler climate zones like those around Mont Blanc (Savoie, France) or the foothills of the Italian Alps (Alto Piemonte, Italy). Some coastal areas include Galicia (Spain), Liguria (Italy), and the Loire Valley (France).

A couple of my favorite low-abv wines in the store right now include: Avinyo 2023 Petillant (10.5 percent), which is refreshing and a little bubbly, and Jolie Laide 2023 Red (11.6 percent), which offers lightness and freshness while still pairing well with both warm winter vegetables and barbecued meats.

– Ailis Peplau

/by Paul Marcus Wines

Bottle Rocket: Two from the Jura

,

Nestled in eastern France between Burgundy and the Swiss border, the Jura region has amassed a bit of a cult following among wine connoisseurs. With its cool climate, hillside vineyards, unique winemaking styles, and indigenous grape varieties, Jura is producing distinctive, highly prized wines that benefit from their limestone-rich soils.

Because of relatively limited production and increasing popularity, many Jura wines can fetch steep prices. At Paul Marcus Wines, we are currently featuring a couple of Jura wines that offer a glimpse of the region’s magic without the hefty price tag.

The 2020 Domaine Courbet Cotes du Jura Blanc ‘Tradition’ is a prime example of Jura white wine, with its customary blend of chardonnay and savagnin grapes. Chardonnay, fermented and aged in barrel, accounts for three-quarters of the blend, providing richness and depth. The savagnin is aged in barrels that are not topped-off, a method known as “sous voile” that allows a layer of flor yeast to develop atop the juice and brings out nutty, tangy elements (similar to sherry).

The resulting blend offers appealing layers of complexity—it delivers ample fruit and texture balanced with an exotic savory edge. It works rather well with robust, creamy sauces (preferably with mushrooms), and it was a terrific choice with sautéed pork chops in a butter, garlic, and lemon sauce.

The 2022 Kevin Bouillet Trousseau comes from a sub-region of the Jura known as Arbois-Pupillin. One of the area’s famed indigenous grapes, trousseau can be difficult to deal with—it requires plenty of sunshine to ripen, yet its higher sugar content makes it susceptible to higher alcohol levels. These days, producers like rising-star Kevin Bouillet, a native of the region, know how to tame trousseau, and his buoyant version (his first vintage making single-variety trousseau) beams with bright red-berry fruit, notes of pepper and spice, vibrant acidity, and a hint of smoke.

This bottle was the perfect match for “reuben casserole”—a hearty melange of pastrami, sauerkraut, Russian dressing, toasty rye bread, and Gruyere cheese—thanks to its gentle earthiness and palate-cleansing freshness.

To learn more about these two standouts and other wines from the esteemed Jura appellation, please stop by the shop.

/by Marc Greilsamer

Celebrating Holidays: What’s on Our Wishlists?

,

Buying a bottle for a persnickety wine professional (or even a wide-eyed neophyte) can be a fraught mission. The options are almost limitless in terms of style, region, and price. Fear not: The staff of Paul Marcus Wines is here to help.

If you visit the shop, of course, we’ll be happy to walk you through the choices based on your budget and the personal tastes of the recipient. To get you started, however, we thought it might be useful to share what’s on our own personal wishlists. Spoiler alert: Despite our varied and distinctive palates, it seems we all lean toward the “classics” when eying that elusive bottle. Barolo? Champagne? Yes, please.

Brutal Discernment

Gifting a jaded wine pro a bottle makes sense on the surface–they like wine; ergo, it’s an appropriate gift. But below that surface is their possibly brutal discernment. How best to navigate this shoal?

Champagne is your best bet–it’s both delicious and useful. Recently, I had the Jacquesson 744, a Champagne given some extra time to rest on its lees and in the bottle, and it showed brilliantly against three top-notch rivals. The three years of extended aging has mellowed its youthful acidity just a bit and given it a greater fullness and natural weight that isn’t coming from apparent oak or winemaking artifice. All Jacquesson bottlings are meticulously made, but this one is in a particularly satisfying place. I’d be psyched to be gifted a bottle.

— David Gibson

 

Spanish Lullaby

I’m feeling inexplicably Spanish this holiday season, so if you’re looking for wines that you could put under my tree, what about an old Rioja? As is the case with aged tempranillo, be ready for anything–dusky notes of mushrooms, forest floor, certainly some folded fruit and saddle. Also look for cigar box and desiccated citrus, for rose petals and tar. Any of these wines with a bit of grilled beef and mushrooms should get the job done.

These wines can be extremely difficult to get, but we have a few noteworthy bottles in the shop, including a couple from the fantastic 1970 Rioja vintage–which, compared to virtually every other region in the world, represent a screaming bargain. We also have a split from 1951, which is, well, 1951!

Beyond that, I’m always excited for a chilled Champagne or Cava on Christmas morning. I can only think of two or three hundred that would fit the bill…

— Chad Arnold

 

Badass Bubbles

I love sparkling wines any day of the week–Champagne, in particular–and even more so during the festive holiday season. So, with that in mind, I would be thrilled to receive a gift of Marie Courtin Champagne ‘Presence’ cuvee (although any of her wines would be an exciting choice).

This wine checks all of the boxes for me, most notably excellent biodynamic farming and a crisp elegant flavor profile highlighted by that brut nature zing. Plus, the house is run by a badass woman who named the winery after her grandmother. I’m a sucker for Blanc de Blancs Champagne, and this wine has both the chalky texture and high-toned mineral acidity I crave, as well as the added subtle nuance of pinot blanc, which, to me, brings out delicate floral aromatics and flavors.

I’d also love to explore the three classic (and ageable) white wines made by the esteemed Quintodecimo in Campania. With grapes grown in the mountainous zone of Irpinia, these wines have certainly sparked my curiosity.

— Ailis Peplau

 

Brightness and Brilliance

Drinking the 2022 Cavallotto Langhe Nebbiolo is like drinking a wonderful Barolo. Made from younger vines in the Bricco Boschis vineyard in Castiglione, the wine exudes brightness, brilliance, and balance. With a rich, complex core of fruit, it definitely punches above its weight.

— Paul Marcus

 

Lively and Lovely

No one in the history of the world has ever said (or thought), “Oh no, they brought Champagne.” I am always happy as can be to receive bubbles, and it doesn’t have to be the fanciest, most expensive bottle to provide immense pleasure and satisfaction. The Hure Freres ‘Invitation’ is an excellent case in point. What a beautifully balanced, traditional expression of Champagne this is–40 percent each pinot noir and pinot meunier, with 20 percent chardonnay. It delivers tart apple and citrus notes, excellent minerality, and a nice touch of brioche–dry, refreshing, lovely.

— Joel Mullennix

 

 

Perfectly Poised

I was lucky enough to drink the 2018 Cappellano Barolo ‘Otin Fiorin Piè Rupestris’ over a long lunch at the superb restaurant Repubblica di Perno in Monforte d’Alba earlier this year. Even in its comparative youth, this is a perfectly poised wine, with everything in its place. Tar and roses; power and elegance; newness and nostalgia. I would happily drink it again during a special holiday meal this year–or a decade from now. (Available for in-store purchase only.)

— Mark Middlebrook

 

Kaleidoscopic

Maria Teresa Mascarello is crafting some of the most compelling nebbiolo on the planet. The red-fruited Bartolo Mascarello Barolo offers kaleidoscopic aromatics of earth and spice, coupled with a silky tannic texture that just blows the mind.

I’ve had this wine several times before, in different vintages and with varying amounts of bottle age. We currently have both the 2019 and 2020 Mascarello, and while I haven’t tasted either vintage, my past experience has only heightened my anticipation. These wines have shown me what very few other red wines ever have, and I’d love to recreate that sensation.

— Jason Seely

 

Geek Out

Giuseppe Russo (right) in the vineyard with his winemaking partner, Emiliano Falsini

Since I’m a wine professional, and someone who is infinitely curious about wine, it could be a daunting task for someone looking to gift me a bottle. But it certainly doesn’t have to be. How well do you know your gift recipient, their interests, and maybe even their recent travels?

My friends know I often travel to Italy and frequently teach wine classes on the Mt. Etna growing region in Sicily. I personally would be overjoyed if someone snagged me a higher-end bottle from Mt. Etna, like the 2020 Girolamo Russo Feudo di Mezzo. A little research reveals that 2020 is a wonderfully balanced year, built for cellar aging, but also very giving in its youth if I couldn’t wait to open it.

Giuseppe Russo is a star on Mt. Etna, producing terroir-driven wines with his unique style of fermenting in used barrique. I would be so impressed that my friend took the time to listen to my interests and find me a wine I would truly geek out on.

— Emilia Aiello

 

Throwback

The Oddero family has been making wine in Barolo for more than 150 years, and by 1900, they were already exporting their wines to the States in small oak barrels. Today, Oddero remains one of the most respected houses in the region. They’ve been tending the slender Rocche di Castiglione hilltop vineyard for roughly 80 years, and the wines from this steep and shallow cliff-side plot accentuate the more graceful, mineral tones of nebbiolo.

That’s why the 2019 Oddero Barolo Rocche di Castiglione ranks high on my list. I was fortunate enough to sample a previous vintage of this bottling (2008, I believe), and found it to be incredibly expressive and complex, elegant but not without ample stuffing. I’m excited to see what this illustrious producer and its superb vineyard came up with in the highly acclaimed “throwback” vintage of 2019.

— Marc Greilsamer

 

/by Paul Marcus Wines

Bottle Rocket: 2020 Le Petit Saint Vincent Saumur-Champigny – Les Poyeux

,

If you’re a devotee of cabernet franc, chances are you’re quite familiar with Les Poyeux. This esteemed vineyard, located within the Saumur-Champigny appellation in the central Loire Valley, boasts a unique terroir highlighted by sun-drenched southern exposure and exceptionally sandy soil composition. The resulting wines are loaded with character and complexity, and the best of them offer a truly spellbinding combination of depth and freshness, of gravity and liveliness.

Dominique Joseph, of Domaine Le Petit Saint Vincent, works with less than a hectare of organically farmed old vines in Les Poyeux. (His family has owned these small parcels for decades.) The grapes are de-stemmed and fermented in concrete vats before resting in larger neutral barrels for about a year.

Dominique’s 2020 Les Poyeux is a wonderful example of the site’s capabilities. There’s a wave of dusky red fruit on the attack, and it’s buttressed by a distinct herbaceous streak and a notable hint of stony minerality. The ample acidity and abundant tannins (naturally softened by the sandy terroir) tell you that this wine will age gracefully for several years, although it’s already a knockout–and at $50, it’s quite a fair deal for a wine that comes from one of the Loire Valley’s most prestigious vineyards.

Dominique Joseph

Thanks largely to world-class bottlings by cult-favorite producer Clos Rougeard (and various disciples), Les Poyeux has been elevated to legendary status among cab franc lovers. This version from Le Petit Saint Vincent offers a chance to appreciate its charms without the hefty price tag that is often attached to these wines.

As the saying goes, “Les Poyeux c’est soyeux”–silky. Come visit the shop, and find out for yourself.

/by Marc Greilsamer

Regional Roundup: California Regeneration

, ,

Fall is when we often see deliveries of wines so limited in supply, or so “oversubscribed,” that they aren’t normally available for purchase. Not wines limited by savvy marketers, but limited because the acreage of the vineyard is limited, and the yield per vine is low.

Two deliveries I’m especially happy to take are from Scar of the Sea and Âmevive. Both are owned by young couples that do their own farming as well as the winemaking. It’s often impossible for young people in California to own the land that produces their grapes, or even to have a long-term lease on it that enables them to farm it the way they want, without compromise (since doing so will surely lower the yield).

Scar of the Sea’s Mikey and Gina Giugni

SOTS made news when Mikey and Gina Giugni bought a vineyard they formerly leased. They were making excellent wines from Bassi, just over a mile from the Santa Barbara coastline, before they purchased it, and now that it’s theirs, the wines have even more vibrancy and depth. It helps that 2023 is turning out to be a superlative vintage.

Alice Anderson of Âmevive

Âmevive is the work of Alice Anderson, who’s taken over farming a vineyard that was well tended for many years by Bob Lindquist of Qupé. Bob’s wines from the Ibarra-Young vineyard were often exceptional, but now, with additional vine age and rigorously healthy farming, Alice is producing wines that truly shine. (And, yes, 2023 was such a wonderfully balanced year in Santa Barbara.)

Both wineries are dedicated to practicing what’s known as “regenerative organic” farming. While organic certification limits what chemicals may be used, regenerative farming goes much deeper into soil health and how animals are used and treated. It’s hard not to feel just a little optimism when reading about people working their land with as much heartfelt care as these farmers do.

From SOTS’s Bassi vineyard we have a pinot noir and syrah (plus a superb gamay from another plot), and from Âmevive, we have their unusually lifted and pure grenache and syrah. These young winemakers are truly worth investigating, and I encourage you to do so.

/by David Gibson

Bottle Rocket: 2019 Piemaggio Chianti Classico – Le Fioraie

Every so often, we encounter a wine that turns out to be a surprise hit with our customers. After a week or two on the shelves, the wine continues to build momentum, and we notice that we need to reorder more frequently and in higher quantities. Piemaggio’s Chianti Classico is such a wine. And it isn’t just the clientele who have responded so positively. Several members of the PMW staff have enjoyed a bottle at home and come back to the shop singing its praises.

The Piemaggio estate is located in the hamlet of Le Fioraie (the flower sellers) on the northwest slopes of Castellina in Chianti. According to legend, three young flower sellers revived a traveling friar in the 10th century with a glass of wine. He never forgot their efforts and later returned to build a church and plant vines.

Surrounded by forest on all sides, the 12 hectares of sangiovese (and small amounts of colorino, canaiolo and ciliegiolo) grow at altitudes between 380 and 480 meters. The wine undergoes spontaneous fermentation in stainless-steel tanks and is then aged in a combination of concrete, Slavonian oak, and French oak.

For the superb 2019 vintage, the result is this beautifully balanced, traditional, structured wine of intensity and finesse. It is bright and elegant enough to match with simple tomato-based pizzas and pastas, yet offers the power and complexity to stand up to more serious, robust fare. And, at $29, it sports a great quality-to-price relationship.

“Wow! The Piemaggio is so good,” say both co-workers and customers. Come visit us at Paul Marcus Wines and see for yourself. Don’t miss this one!

/0 Comments/by Joel Mullennix

Producer Profile: Kumusha

,

A few weeks ago, we were fortunate enough to receive a visit from Tinashe Nyamudoka, proprietor of Kumusha Wines. A native of Zimbabwe, Nyamudoka rose to fame as a highly acclaimed sommelier in South Africa. With a deep knowledge of consumer tastes and keen interest in winemaking styles, he decided to start his own winery in 2017, and the results so far have been quite impressive.

Kumusha (which means “your roots, your origin, your home” in his native Shona language) boasts wines that are interesting and creative without being at all weird or unfriendly. They nod knowingly toward tradition and terroir while keeping an eye on modern trends. Modest, reserved, thoughtful, and cerebral, Nyamudoka works with only sustainable vineyards in Swartland, Slanghoek, Sondagskloof, and the Western Cape. His minimal-intervention, natural-leaning approach is the perfect fit for Paul Marcus Wines, and we are pleased to feature three of his wines at the shop.

2023 Sauvignon Blanc – Western Cape ($17)

Very mellow for a New World sauvignon blanc, this gently tropical and aromatic wine eschews intensity in favor of elegance and refinement. The grapes come from sandstone soils at 300 meters of elevation, and the juice ages for four months on the lees in stainless-steel tanks. It’s a fresh, mineral expression of the grape–think Loire Valley rather than Southern Hemisphere.

2022 Cabernet Sauvignon / Cinsault – Slanghoek ($23)

This blend of 75 percent cabernet and 25 percent cinsault is in some ways an ode to the “traditional” style of South African cabernet–when it was common for winemakers to fill out their cabs with unlabeled amounts of cinsault. As it happens, the cinsault gives this wine a welcome spicy lift, balancing out the luscious purple fruit–the perfect barbecue wine.

2023 Wild Mutupo Chillable Carignan – Slanghoek ($25)

A classic summertime “glou-glou” red, this carignan oozes with vibrant cherries and berries complemented by a mild savory, piquant touch. It’s fermented with 15 percent whole cluster, then aged for six months in stainless steel with an additional four months in large foudre. This one goes down a bit too easily…

/0 Comments/by Marc Greilsamer

Regional Roundup: Temperance Hill Vineyard

, , ,

Originally planted more than 40 years ago, Oregon’s 100-acre Temperance Hill Vineyard is one of the most esteemed grape-growing sites in the U.S. Located in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA in the northern Willamette Valley, Temperance Hill is a cool-climate, high-elevation, late-ripening vineyard planted atop the remains of an ancient volcano, making it a perfect home for pinot noir.

The renowned Dai Crisp has been managing Temperance Hill since 1999; he immediately began farming organically, and the vineyard was eventually certified organic in 2012. With vines that are between 660 and 860 feet in altitude and the pronounced influence of the chilly Van Duzer winds, Temperance Hill produces pinot noir that is noted for its elegance, finesse, and energetic sparkle.

Vineyard honcho Dai Crisp

More than two dozen producers make wines from Temperance Hill fruit, and at Paul Marcus Wines, we are currently featuring a pair of single-vineyard expressions from this magical plot.

2021 Walter Scott Pinot Noir Temperance Hill

Walter Scott’s rendition of Temperance Hill pinot comes from a single block on the vineyard’s north side, with an elevation of 750 feet and a location directly in the teeth of the Van Duzer winds. Despite the cooler growing conditions, the Walter Scott delivers a deep core of mouth-coating blue and purple fruit–not aggressive or intense, but not particularly shy either. This explosion of fruit is gently supported by savory, herbal accents that help complete the picture. There’s real vigor and vibrancy to this bottle, and it fans out across the palate with purpose, leading to a delightfully persistent finish.

2021 Goodfellow Pinot Noir Temperance Hill

The Goodfellow Temperance Hill emphasizes and embraces the earthy spice, woody tobacco aromas, and citrusy zip that help distinguish this vineyard. Made with 100 percent whole clusters, this is a crisper, subtler take on Temperance Hill fruit that truly allows the mineral edge to shine through. Perhaps not as viscerally alluring as the Walter Scott, the Goodfellow is a graceful, charming, and wholly appealing take nonetheless.

To learn more about these exquisite offerings, stop by the shop and say hello.

/0 Comments/by Marc Greilsamer

Why We Love: Treixadura

Treixadura is not one of those grapes that most wine drinkers seek out. Yet, when you do have one, you’re more often than not pleasantly surprised. For me, it’s a little like Cesanese from Italy–you don’t have to think too hard when reaching for it. It’s a versatile table wine of sorts, one that easily pairs with most anything or nothing at all.

The venerable Luis Anxo Rodríguez Vázquez

The treixadura grape, found most commonly in the Ribeiro DO of Galicia, Spain, has a subtle richness that is buoyed by its rustic character. It’s happy alongside most seafood, especially sauced fish with plenty of herbs, but also plays well with roasted pork or something earthy like sunchokes, celery root, or sweet potatoes.

The Ribeiro DO is a small, concentrated area known for its decomposed granite and sandy soils. Ribeiro was once a thriving grape-growing region with plenty of its wines being shipped to England for consumption during the 16th and 17th centuries. Things changed after phylloxera (insect pest) hit, and many people were forced to rip out their vines and consider other means to an end. Recently though, the tide seems to be swinging in favor of bringing back the quality production of treixadura and other varieties that are at home in this verdant landscape.

I was first exposed to treixadura by Luis Rodriguez’s Viña de Martin Os Pasas Blanco. It is composed of mostly treixadura, with lado, albariño, and torrontes rounding out the blend. The beauty of this wine lies in its lemon-lime-hued complexities dancing on a spine of granite-derived minerality. I have had this bottling many times over the years, and it always makes me smile–not only for its balance of flavors but also because of its place of origin. This wine comes from Luis’s hometown of Arnoia, home to some of Ribeiro’s steepest south-facing slopes.

The 2022 Gomariz Ribeiro Treixadura ‘La Flor y La Abeja’ is 100 percent treixadura, and it really shows the grape’s quince-like qualities that keep you coming back for sip after sip. This wine shines for its overall quality-to-price ratio, and I find myself turning to this bottle often.

Also of note is the 2022 Formigo Ribeiro Blanco ‘Finca Teira’–65 percent treixadura, 20 percent godello, and 15 percent torrontes, fermented and raised entirely in stainless steel. This shows a supple, yet chiseled wine highlighting the yellow- and green-tinged fruits of this appealing grape.

When I think of Ribeiro, I think bucolic, wooded hillsides with wisps of wood smoke rising above lush, green river valleys. It’s exactly the kind of place I would love to visit and explore a bit more.

/0 Comments/by Jason Seely

The Answer: What Is Lees Aging?

, , , , ,

According to some, there are two kinds of people in the world: those who wonder “how it works” and those who ponder “what it does.” The “it” could be a tool or a machine or a process. Put another way, some folks focus on how a final product is achieved while others focus on the various characteristics of the final product itself.

Since I’ve always been more of a “what does it do” guy than a “how does it work” guy, I will mostly sidestep the chemistry aspect of lees aging (proteins and enzymes and the like) and turn our attention to the final product. How does lees aging affect the wine in your bottle?

Lees aging is a winemaking regimen in which the juice is not cleared of its fermentation residue. After the yeast is introduced and the process of fermentation–converting sugar to alcohol–is complete, the dead yeast (lees) sinks to the bottom of the vat or barrel. At that point, the winemaker might decide to leave the juice in contact with this milky byproduct for an extended period. Depending on how much lees influence is sought, the juice can be stirred (a process called bâtonnage) to increase its effect.

For starters, lees contact will give the wine richness, depth, and warmth. It helps to smooth a wine’s rougher edges while adding complexity and breadth to the flavors and aromas. Lees aging might also help stabilize a wine by helping to fend off oxidation. Producers of “serious” wines from Champagne and Burgundy have traditionally relied on lees aging, but so have makers of sleeker, mineral-driven wines such as Muscadet and Galician albariño.

To me, there is a certain sweet spot when it comes to lees aging–when the technique takes place in stainless-steel tanks. The combination of stainless steel and lees contact gives a wine creaminess and texture without sacrificing acidity. It creates wines that are fleshy but still fresh, and it lends the wine a bit of weight and gravity while maintaining expressive, bright fruit. It offers some characteristics associated with wood aging, but with a more restrained touch.

I find that wines made in this style are often perfect for rich, shellfish-based dishes. At Paul Marcus Wines, we offer a wide range of white wines made in this steel-plus-lees style that are worth discovering, including three of particular note:

2019 I Favati Fiano di Avellino – Pietramara Etichetta Bianca

Fiano from the hills of Campania is perhaps the most esteemed white grape in all of Italy, and this multifaceted bottling offers ample proof why–especially when accompanying casarecce with rock shrimp in a spicy tomato-cream sauce.

2022 Benanti Etna Bianco

Made with 100 percent carricante from the eastern and southern slopes of Sicily’s Mt. Etna, this bright, gently smoky, beautifully balanced wine will shine alongside brinier dishes such as steamed clams and mussels in a lemon and white wine broth.

2020 Luis Rodriguez Ribeiro – Os Pasás

Predominantly treixadura, and filled out with small amounts of albariño, torrontés, and lado, this Galician stunner would pair well with gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp) atop buttery white beans.

These three wines seem to have much in common: distinct minerality, lovely texture, and a subtle tropical vibe–melon and mango and such–along with a cleansing salinity. We are talking about dynamic, age-worthy whites that are much more complex and stimulating than your run-of-the-mill Sancerre and half the price of a comparable white Burgundy. As summer approaches and shellfish season begins, it’s the perfect time to get to know these charming white wines.

/0 Comments/by Marc Greilsamer