2017 Ciello Bianco
appellation: Sicily, Italy
variety: catarratto

The dynamic Vesco family took over the winery 10 years ago and have since revolutionized the viticultural practices and invested heavily in cutting edge technology for the winery and bottling line. The wines are all certified organic and planted on south-east facing slopes on sandy soils 150 – 300m above sea level. Though it is left unfiltered and hazy, Ciello bianco is a transparently bright, fresh Catarratto with a pleasant trace of pink grapefruit, yellow apple and subtle almond on the finish. Try it with marinated calamari or octopus salad.

2017 Boal de Arousa Albariño
appellation: Galicia, Spain
variety: albariño

In the sub-appellation of Rias Baixas named Barbanza e Iria, situated on the  Atlantic coast, 15 meters above the ocean, north of Pontevedra, lies the small, family estate of Boal de Arousa. The wine produced here is entirely from a single, historic parcel called ‘Viña de Louro’. Chosen for its features – such as soil, which is decomposing granite mixed with quartz and clay, and orientation – the vineyard was active for centuries until the phylloxera attack at the end of the 19th Century. In 1985, it was revitalized and re-planted by Anselmo Tarrío and Pura Lamas. The grapes are entirely hand-harvested, vinified in tank and left at least 7 months on the fine lies. Not your average sauvignon look-alike, this albariño calls for scallops or some other shellfish. 

2016 Le Fraghe "Brol Grande"
appellation: Bardolino (Veneto), Italy
varieties: corvina, rondinella

Matilde Poggi makes the wines at Le Fraghe in Bardolino, a small appellation nestled into the hills between Lake Garda and Verona in the Veneto. Martilde grew up playing in the family vineyards, and learned about winemaking at her father’s knee. She explains her approach to winemaking in classic Italian style - with a metaphor about food. For Martilde winemaking is like making a recipe. Each time she harvests and makes a vintage, she learns something new, and she applies it the following year. Her recipe for Bardolino is 80% Corvina, and 20% Rondinella -- the inverse of the usual blend. The varieties are fermented separately and then blended and aged in stainless steel tanks until the following spring. The result: an aromatic glass full dark berry fruit and a touch of spice. This wine is perfect for a plate of tagliatelle with mushrooms and sage, or a hunk of young mountain cheese.