Good Things From Italy - Le Cose Buone d'Italia

A gorgeous Verdicchio that brings together minerality, fleshy fruit, nuts and honey. A quartet that really works.

Quite profound minerality of slate or black stones – evident both on the nose and palate. The fruit composure is mostly that of peach and nectarine, and there is a definite honey almond nougat note. Finishes with a curious wheaty taste, which I like.

I wouldn’t say it has a notable textural element (especially when compared to many other Italian whites), but it doesn’t have to when its other attributes are so admirable. If you want an Italian white that offers more to think about than the average Pinot Grigio, this is where you should be looking.

Very Good / 91 points

Closure: Cork

Source: Retail

Price: ~$30

Winter is here, which means that great local seafood is back on the table. Succulent Dungeness crab steamed with garlic butter, Hog Island Kumamoto Oysters on the half-shell with mignonette, moules-frites au Roquefort, grilled whole snapper with fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley. Whatever your deep sea fix is, we’ve got the perfect wine for it. Here are a few suggestions.

2011 Colle Stefano Verdicchio di Matelica – $16.99

Verdicchio is one of the most widely planted white grapes in Italy, but in the right hands it can be truly sublime. The best is found in and around the village of Matelica in the Marche on the East coast of Central Italy. Organic farming, low yields, and cool stainless steel fermentation make for a wine of precise balance, airy briny minerality, and herbal and citrus aromatics. Enjoy with all manner of fresh seafood or as an aperitif with roasted almonds and casatica di bufala.

The Others:

2011 Pierre Henri Muscadet Sevre et Maine – $11.99

2011 Valdesil Godello Sobre Lias – $19.99

2010 Roland Tissier Sancerre – $20.99

2010 Edmunds St. John El Dorado Heart of Gold – $19.99

2011 Arnot-Roberts Watson Ranch Napa Chardonnay – $32.99

My wine tasting earlier this month at Nectar Wine Lounge featured italian wines from across the country. It was featured on Sosh and brought wine lovers together to taste wine from the 3rd largest wine producer in the world. In case you’re interested in joining, I post all my events through britneyhc, so you can follow me there.

The intent here was to keep my guests treading lightly, rather than deep diving into the ocean of wines that originate in Italy. My selection was thoughtful, as I wanted to represent different regions of the country, but also enable you to visit a local wine shop or address a menu and have a reasonable idea of what your selection might be.

The process of picking a great wine is much more enjoyable, memorable and recognizable when you have a point of reference.

2011 ColleStefano Verdicchio di Matelica Marche, Italy

Interesting Italian white with a cult following. I found this wine by chance, and fell in love with the stone fruit, crisp feel, and amazing aroma. This wine is made with organically grown Verdicchio grapes.