Straw yellow dry white wine. This Grillo boasts a lively, fresh acidity, with floral hints and exotic fruit flavours.
Italy
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2018 Luigi Baudana, `Dragon` Langhe Bianco
LB201S18
Taste Notes:
41% Chardonnay , 30% Nascetta, 25% Sauvignon Blanc, 4% Riesling. The wine has perfumes of stone, flowers and summery grass with a slightly savoury note on the palate. The touches of Riesling and Nascetta add an extra hint of elegance, giving it a long refreshing finish. Dragon is a symbol of courage for Vajra, who experimented here with local and international white varietals in this fresh and perfumed white wine. It is a very unusual blend for the Barolo area: Chardonnay and Sauvignon with Nascetta and Riesling.
Vineyard:
The Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc vineyards are located on the north-east shoulder of Cerretta Piani at mid-slope. A fold of this slope makes the plot cooler and more suitable for white grapes. Below the thin topsoil lies one of the oldest conglomerates of all Piemonte: 14-million-year-old Helvetian soil. The Nascetta is grown in the Comune of Novello, the birthplace of the variety, at the top of the Ravera hill. Vajra has always believed in sustainable farming and keeps the turf natural and green in the vineyard. Traditional pruning is practised as well as using the Guyot mixed system of trellising. Every phase of winemaking, starting in the vineyard, is carried out by hand. No irrigation is used, while green harvest is decided according to the vintage.
Vinification:
The grapes were hand harvested. Soft crushing was followed by up to 12 days of fermentation at low temperatures in stainless steel tanks. The wine remained in stainless-steel tanks until bottling the following spring.
Producer:
This small estate has just over four hectares of vineyard, all in the commune of Serralunga d'Alba. Their tiny cellar is situated in the village of Baudana, while their vineyards are primarily in the 'crus' of Baudana and the highly regarded Cerretta. After 30 years running the winery, and without heirs to take over the business, Luigi and Fiorina Baudana took the difficult decision to sell. As part of his research, Luigi visited the Vajra winery incognito one day, and was so impressed with the way they dealt with people and communicated their philosophy that he rang Aldo soon afterwards to ask if he would be interested in buying the estate. A deal was soon done, and the Vajra family have run this estate alongside Luigi and Fiorina ever since. The first vintage was 2009 and from then onwards we can see the true expression of the new Luigi Baudana.
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Gran Passione Bianco
A lovely floral wine with hints of vanilla on the nose. On the palate it is dry, crisp and fresh with ripe fruit flavors which balance out the acidity perfectly.
Garganega and Pinot Bianco are cultivated in alluvial territories close to river Piave. The grapes are harvested separately during the first ten days of September. The Garganega is fermented at a temperature between 14 ° and 16 ° C in barriques, followed by a refining of 4 months. Whilst the Pinot Blanc is fermented in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature and the refining involves frequent batonnage. Post fermentation the wines are blended and spend a short period of time in stainless steel before bottling.
Garganega: 60%
Pinot Bianco: 40%VEGAN
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Terlan Tradition Pinot Bianco
Clear pale yellow color with a slight greenish shimmer. On the nose this classic Pinot Bianco scores with crisp notes of pear mingling with aromas of raspberry and lime, plus a touch of camomile and lemon grass to round off the composition. Body and balance sum up the Pinot Blanc, which intrigues the palate with the fruit of the pear and quince aromas combined with a salty minerality. The wine tickles the tongue and goes on to deliver a persistent aftertaste.
"Pinot Bianco has always been one of the most important wines at Cantina Terlano; it lends powerful expression to the terroir where our grapes mature. As a varietal, the delicate and above all mineral Pinot Bianco, is a hallmark of the winery."
Rudi Kofler -
Lugana, Ca Dei Frati, "I Frati"
TS022
Excellent depth and balance on the palate, with an almost trademark richness and crisp, lively finish.
Considered to be one of the best producers in Lugana owning a substantial area of vineyards, Cà dei Frati produces quantity with exceptional quality. Excellent depth, layers of flavour ranging from white peach to almond blossom and lemons.
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Kerner, Cantina Valle Isarco
Fresh, spiced and aromatic. Stone fruit flavours of peach and apricot. Very well balanced acidity.
Pairs beautifully with light appetizers, cold meats, poached fish and shellfish. Also excellent as an aperitif!
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Ribolla Gialla , Ronchi di Cialla
Clear pale yellow color with green reflections. Brilliant. It smells fresh and lively; its bouquet is elegant, with bread crust fragrances, apple and pear fruity note with a floral and mineral back-taste. It tastes extremely fresh and has typicality exalted by a perfect balance of acidity and minerality. The aftertaste is consistent, fresh and savory. Well balanced and goes down well.
Pairs well with fish, crustacean and mollusc based dishes, first course dishes with vegetables, delicate cold cut meats. Excellent on its own as an aperitif.
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Vigneti del Vulture, `Pipoli` Greco/Fiano
VU101B15
Pale lemon in colour, with perfumes of tropical fruit and a touch of vegetal notes. Rich yet fresh with a lime zest character, which comes from the Greco fruit, balancing the richness. We love this wine with pasta & pesto.
VEGETARIAN
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Nova Domus Riserva 2014
TE5217
Cantina Terlano is well known in Italian wine drinking circles for producing Italy’s longest lived white wines. Many memorable wines from the 1950s and 1960s, which rank amongst the greatest white wines of the world, were made here.
Fresh light yellow with slightly greenish nuances. This cuvée has a multifaceted structure with a hint of herbs and spices, including aniseed, mint and sage, as well as nuances of fruit aromas, especially apricot, mandarine, honeydew melon and passion fruit, all underpinned with salty mineral components. On the palate, Nova Domus is complex and delicate, offering a creamy softness in an interesting symbiosis with an aromatic minerality, and has the texture for a very long finish.
Works very well with caviar and a good pairing with grilled salmon steaks, fiorentina T-bone steaks, saltimbocca alla romana or braised knuckle of veal; also with a parmigiana with aubergines and truffle fondue.
Pinot Blanc: 60%
Chardonnay: 30%
Sauvignon Blanc: 10%
