Wine With Wanda

From Piedmont to Sicily: Five More Fabulous Italian White Wines That Aren't Pinot Grigio

My recent article, Five Fabulous Italian White Wines That Aren't Pinot Grigio, had such a great response, I'm back with a second round. Take your palate on an Italian adventure and sip your way out of a Pinot Grigio rut with one of these stellar white wines. 

Banfi "Principessa Gavia" Gavi 2016 DOCG ($17)
Region: Piemonte
Grape: Cortese
Who can resist a beautiful wine inspired by a romantic Italian legend? Once upon a time Princess Gavia followed her heart and eloped with a guard in her father's court. The King was not too thrilled with his darling daughter marrying a commoner but eventually all was forgiven. In Gavia's honor, the king named the town of Gavi and its wonderful white wine after his romantically rebellious daughter. I think Principessa Gavia would be absolutely impressed by the lovely wine Banfi has named after her. Elegant, dry, and crisp with vivacious green apple and citrus flavors, this delicious expression of Gavi has zesty acidity and a finish that lingers like a long lace train on a royal wedding dress. 

Fontana Candida Frascati DOC 2015 ($12.95)
Region: Lazio
Grapes: Malvasia Bianca di Candia, Trebbiano Toscano, Malvasia del Lazio
Born in the Roman hills, Frascati is an ancient wine that was known as "the wine of popes and of the people." It may no longer flow from the fountains of Rome, as it was reported during 17th century Papal elections, but bottles of Frascati certainly flow freely in Roman restaurants. Refreshing and zesty, this dry Frascati from renowned producer Fontana Candida is a great expression of this quintessentially Roman wine. Flavors of peach and almonds are balanced by great acidity and texture.


 Alta Mora Etna Bianco DOC 2015 ($24.99)
Region: Sicily
Grape: Carricante
What could be hotter than a white wine produced from grapes grown on the slopes of an active volcano? The Cusumano family grows the indigenous Carricante grape in the volcanic souls of Mt. Etna to produce their Etna Bianco. A sultry white wine with pronounced minerality and herbal flavors, Alta Mora Etna Bianco is a sophisticated sip that reveals more and more character as it opens in the glass. 

 Puiatti Vuj Friulano 2016 ($20.99)
Region: Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Grape: Friulano 
Renowned for their pristine white wines that never spend time in oak, a sip of Puiatti rocks your palate with the full essence of the grape. Vuj (which means eye) captures the charms of Friulano, an exceptionally flavorful and aromatic white grape that thrives in Italy's northeastern Friuli region. Quite savory with mellow hints of herbs and a lingering finish, Vuj has plenty of personality that keeps you coming back for another sip.

Feudi di San Gregorio Fiano di Avellino DOCG 2015 ($24.99)
Campania
Grape: Fiano
Yummy isn't a technical term but this luscious wine from the Campania region in the south of Italy proves that yumminess and elegance aren't mutually exclusive. Absolutely exuberant with pretty flavors of peach and chamomile, this stellar Fiano has impressive balance and lip-smacking minerality. 

Terlato Partners with Vine Maestros Simonit & Sirch to Recapture the Glory of Pinot Grigio

Traveling the world in their signature plaid shirts and carrying pruning tools, childhood friends and agronomists Pierpaolo Sirch and Marco Simonit are restoring health and vitality to vineyards with their innovative techniques.

Poor Pinot Grigio - the Italian white wine that everybody loves to hate. But stop shedding tears in your insipid mass-produced glass of wine - Pinot Grigio is poised to experience a glorious comeback thanks to a unique partnership between Terlato Vineyards and Italian vine pruners extraordinaire - Simonit & Sirch.

Terlato started a sensation when they introduced Pinot Grigio to the U.S. market in 1979. The varietal became such a runaway success that quality suffered as demand grew to satisfy the never-ending thirst of consumers. The market has become increasingly flooded with industrial and bland Pinot Grigio that exploits the popularity of the wine. Realizing that they had created a monster, Terlato said basta and decided to produce Pinot Grigio in a radically new way.


"We want Pinot Grigio to be done at a higher level. We want a 'Grand Cru' Pinot Grigio."
- Bill Terlato, CEO, Terlato Wines
image from left to right- Tony Terlato, Marco Simonit, Bill Terlato, and Pierpaolo Sirch. 

To make better wine, you need better grapes. To grow better grapes, you need healthy vines. And if you want healthy vines, Terlato knew to call Marco Simonit and Pierpaolo Sirch. Natives of Friuli and born into families of farmers and winemakers, Marco and Pierpaolo have earned accolades around the world for their innovative pruning techniques that respect the sap flow of the plant and improve its life expectancy. Pruning is a necessity in the vineyard but the widely used methods often traumatize the vines. Many may scratch their heads with they see the Simonit & Sirch team working the vineyards clad in plaid shirts and wielding mini chainsaws, but skeptics become fans when they witness the extraordinary results that the pruners achieve. The Simonit & Sirch Pruning Method has been utilized at some of the most famous vineyards in Italy and beyond, including French legends Château d'Yquem and Château Latour.


Terlato Vineyards in Friuli

Working with Simonit & Sirch, Terlato is producing world-class Pinot Grigio and Friulano at their estate in northeast Italy in the Friuli Colli Orientali DOC, in the foothills of the Austrian and Slovenian Alps.


Terlato Vineyards Pinot Grigio Friuli 2015 ($20)
2014 vintage is also available.

Hillside vineyards and low-yield old vines with an average age of 20-30 years are a key difference between Terlato Pinot Grigio and the mass-produced brands. Handcrafted from start to finish from smaller berries with more intense flavors, estate bottled Terlato Pinot Grigio has an incredible intensity and complexity that will stun anyone who has been drinking watery and flavorless wine. The first thing I noticed is how incredibly aromatic the Terlato Pinot Grigio is compared to others - the peach and floral notes are absolutely enticing. On the palate, it is rich and balanced with a minerality that provides structure to the fresh and vivacious flavors of white peach, green apple, and citrus. Very food-friendly, you can pair this Pinot Grigio with seafood, light pasta dishes, Asian cuisine, and roast chicken. Their collaboration also includes the 2014 vintage of the Pinot Grigio (more pronounced citrus & mineral notes than in the 2015 vintage) and the Terlato Friulano Friuli 2013 ($24) (creamy and full-bodied with pear and almond notes.)

The Terlato partnership with Simonit & Sirch is certain to inspire other winemakers to raise their standards because consumers will start demanding better Pinot Grigio. There are no shortcuts to quality. For those winemakers wanting to emulate Terlato's commitment to the health of their vines, the Simonit & Sirch Italian School of Vine Pruning offers training in their methods - plaid shirt not included! 

To learn more about Terlato Pinot Grigio and Friulano, visit their website.