Archive for the ‘Whites’ Category

Posted on January 25, 2009 - by admin - (Comment * FaceBook It * Send to Friend)

A World of Whites

Albino Armani PINOT GRIGIO “io” (Trentino) 2010 $8/24
From one of the most historic family wineries in northern Italy, its heritage is traced back to the early 1600s. This Pinot Grigio is aromatic, bright and fresh with notes of pear and light citrus, delicious as an aperitvo or with a light seafood or pasta dish.

Pilandro TREBBIANO di Lugana (Lombardia) 2010 $8/24
A highly aromatic wine made from 100% Trebbiano di Lugana. The winemaker, Pietro Lavelli, is one of the most respected producers in the area, not only for his amazing wines, but for his fantastic salame! With bright notes of passion fruit and citrus, this Trebbiano has enough flavors to match even Pietro’s salame!

VERMENTINO (Sardegna) 2010 $8/24
This is a fruit forward wine with aromas of white flowers, rosemary, apricot and lemon. A crisp white, this Vermentino is a perfect balance between expressive herbaceous fruit and a somewhat restraining core of minerality. Wonderful paired with seafood pastas. Small production.

Baglio del Sole Inzolia (Sicilia) 2009 $10/30
This wine has a light straw yellow coloring, very transparent with nuances of greenish yellow. The nose denotes intense, pleasing and clean aromas typical of this grape varietal, especially apple.

Monte Tondo SOAVE CLASSICO “Monte Tondo” (Veneto) 2008 $11/33
2006 was a great year for Italian whites and this Soave is no exception! At 3,000 cases, it is the biggest production wine from the Magnabosco family. The wine is 100 percent Garganega, and is fermented in steel tanks. It has a floral bouquet laced with scents of exotic fruit and mineral aromas with a long finish. This Soave Classico makes an excellent aperitivo and is ideal with appetizers, fish, shellfish, and white meat.

Tre Monti Vigna Rocca Albana (Emilia Romagna) 2010 $11/33
The Vigna Rocca is rich and mouth filling on the palate with flavors of ripe peaches and plums. This elegant white has a mineral driven finish with some pleasant notes of bitter almonds.

San Giovanni LEO GUELFUS Falerio dei Colli Ascolani (Marche) 2008 $11/33
The Falerio dei Colli Ascolani from the Marche region east of Tuscany is a surviving testimonial to the outstanding reputation of the wines of Picenum enjoyed in the period of the Roman Empire. Marta is a unique blend consisting of 30% Pecorino, 30% Trebbiano, 20% Passerina, and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. This wine has a salty, brine-like quality making it an excellent choice with shellfish, seafood and pasta in cream sauce. 6,500 bottle production. During a visit to Marche, Joe met Giovanni, the producer of this Falerio. Joe says, “Giovanni is the nicest of men: the kind who would give you the shirt off his back!”

Villa Marchesi Verduzzo (Friuli) 2009 $11/33
Verduzzo is the name of the grape from Friuli where it’s commonly used in dessert wines. This particular late harvest Verduzzo has subtle sweetness so those who enjoy Reislings will especially enjoy this wine. Golden with straw yellow color, medium bodied, fruity, and honeyed aromas with some hints of orange and apricot. Balanced acidity and sweetness keep it refreshingly delicious on the palate. Pairs well with a surprising number of foods from spicy dishes to slightly sweet or savory desserts.

Cordero di Montezemolo ARNEIS delle Langhe (Piemonte) 2009 $13/39
Coming from an area renowned for its robust reds (Barolo), the people of the Piedmont drink Arneis in the summer. This lovely white shows a particularly floral bouquet of chamomile, with notes of apricots. On the palate, it is mild and elegant, an extremely well balanced wine. This beautiful white is produced by the Montezemolo family. They have owned their land since feudal times and they continue to be an important part of the regions heritage as well as being the CEO of Ferrari! Joe says, “Check out their elegant Barolo!”

Tasto di SETA “Malvasia” (Emilia Romagna) 2009 $13/39
This Seta is a bright straw-yellow with an intensely aromatic floral nose of acacia, cypress and mint. It is balanced and soft on the palate with excellent length. This vineyard is located in a region known for its good food as well as its good wines. Great as either an aperitivo or as a dinner wine: it is perfect when paired with fresh pasta dishes, vegetable dishes, salami and white meats. Seta is also exceptional with fat-fleshed fish and seafood stews.

Ricci Terre del Timorasso (Piemonte e Lombardia) 2008 $14/42
Timorasso, the varietal, is rare and planted on very few hectares of land. It comes from the hills of Tortonesi in norther Piemonte, on the border with Lombardia, not far from the Gavi zone. It is an ancient and indigenous grape in the area, difficult to grow and rather temperamental, hence the small area of planting. At one time it was the primary grape in Gavi before the Cortese grape took over. There are only a few producers making Timorasso, and Ricci is one of the best! This wine is incredibly funky and complex with tropical notes. A wine meant to age.

Durin Riviera Ligure di Ponente Pigato (Liguria) 2009 $14/42
Originally from Greece, Pigato made its way to Liguria in the 1600s and is believed to be a cousin of Vermentino. Today it is almost exclusively ties to the Ligurian Riviera, where vines curl and dig into amazingly steep, terraced hillsides. Medium bodied and very fresh, with a bitter almond touch and plenty of citrus energy, Pigato goes best with grilled seafood but its flavorful concentration can easily stand up to coconut milk curries and especially garlic rich sauces– fresh basil pesto being the Genovese favorite.

San Michele All’Adige Reisling (Trentino) 2009 $14/42
The Instituto Agrario di San Michele All’Adige was founded in 1874 and is one of Italy’s leading viticultural resarch centers. It is built around an old monastery, which is pictured on the wine label. This pale straw colored wine has a youthful nose with a medium intensity of minerality, citrus fruit, and yeastm turning into a distinct smokiness as the wine warms in the glass. This complex Reisling has a fairly long finish of citrus with hints of pear and a whiff of white pepper.

Castefelder Gewurztraminer (Alto Adige) 2008 $14/42
Located in the small town of Neumarket, Castefelder uses a grape varietal indigenous to the region in this Gewurztraminer. The wine has a nice straw color and an intensely spicy and floral nose. The palate is rich and full with beautiful fruit and persistent spice, leading to a gorgeous finish.

Tenuta LUISA (Friuli) 2009 $14/42
A 100% Sauvignon grape, this wine has a pale golden color. The bouquet is refined and typical of the variety, with hints of sage, bell peppers and tomato vines. Well-balanced and structured with excellent acidity, it pairs well with pasta and risotto as well as various flavorful dishes with seafood and crustaceans.

Alberto Longo Falanghina ‘Le FOSSETTE’ (Puglia) 2009 $15/45
The area around Lucera in Puglia is known for its archaeological finds. Le Fossette is an archaeological term for an indent in a pot or vase used for drinking. Typically, the Falanghina grape is found in Campania, but in Puglia it has a more intense straw color with green highlights thanks to the climate and soil of the region. The bouquet is persistent and rich with fruity and floral notes. 500-case productions.

Monte Tondo Soave Classico “Cassette Foscarin” (Veneto) 2007 $15/45
The grapes for this Soave Classico are grown in the calcareous soil of volcanic origin and only the most sun-exposed fruit is used. The grapes are harvested according to their ripeness then soft pressed with low temperature maceration, followed by aging in  barriques and 5 hl barrels for about 6 months. This full bodied white is straw yellow with golden highlights. An intense fruity bouquet laced with a hint of honey, scents of vanilla, dried fruit and marked mineral aroma. It is rich and smooth on the palate. Pair this wine with any of our specialty cheeses, Cheese Plate, Filet of Bass, or our Branzino.

GAVI di GAVI La Meirana (Piemonte) 2009 $16/48
This wine is produced in a single vineyard, La Meirana: one of the oldest and most famous vineyards in Piedmont. Gavi is made exclusively from Cortese grapes and is a pale yellow with green highlights. The perfume is fine and delicate with hints of anise and flowers. Dry on the palate, elegant with a great finish. Perfect with grilled fish, sea salt bream and fish soup.

Picariello Fiano d’Avellino (Campania) 2008 $16/48
Although they’re not certified organic, Picariello from Campania works organically. Good Fiano strongly reminds people of dry Chenino. It is made with indigenous yeasts and no added sulfur, and it is impossible not to catch the gorgonzola notes on this wine. Explosive volcanic minerality, ashy & dry from high elevation with good acid. Good with soft cheese, lean fish- even red meat. A wine meant to age.

Mazzolino Chardonnay “BLANC” (Lombardia) 2008 $18/54
From a tiny producer in Oltrepo Pavese in Lombardia, this Chardonnay is rich and complex with notes of hazelnuts, vanilla and citrus. This French winemaker combined French technique with Italian soil to produce an exquisite wine that is delicious when served with risotto, lobster, and creamy pasta dishes. When Joe visited the winery’s cantina, Jean Francois, the winemaker, swore he could see France from the hills of Pavia!

View our Red Wine list.