A bottle of wine can be so much more than just a fun way to spend an afternoon or evening. When you have great stories + native varietals + exciting flavors + fantastic pricing, a bottle of wine can become a gateway to another culture or a passport to another land.
We think these three new white wines from Oliver McCrum’s outstanding Italian portfolio showcase all of those attributes for a price that delivers both precision and passion. Let’s check them out.
Confiscated Sicilian Mafia Vineyards From The Hometown of Don Corleone
Centopassi is the wine operation behind Libera Terra run by Giovanni Ascioni, a truly talented and passionate winemaker who is turning out some of the most exciting whites anywhere in Italy right now. As author Robert Camuto writes in his beloved book South Of Somewhere:
"Organized crime was one of Giovanni's preferred subjects because, in his multifarious life, he was not only a winemaker, writer, and photographer, but he also managed to work for Libera Terra, the 21st century nonprofit that repurposed land confiscated from convicted mobsters by the courts. Libera Terra runs cooperatives across Southern Italy that use the lands for producing organic wine, pasta, beans, canned tomatoes, jams, and olive oil. For communities in the South, agriculture is an important source of employment, and Libera Terra kept those properties from being abandoned."
Today, Centopassi's vineyards are thriving today thanks to all of Giovanni and his team's great work. The ‘Rocce di Pietra Longa’ is 100% Grillo from the Pietralunga vineyard, located near the town of Corleone. The vineyard can be recognized by a tall stone (the Pietra Lunga), about 100 feet high, nearby. Vines were planted in stony alkaline clay soil with many rocky outcroppings. The wine offers gorgeous and intensely-mouthwatering aromas of lemon, marzipan and wet stones. We think it sings with seafood.
A World Famous White Wine From Barolo Country?
Most people think of red wine when they think of Piedmont—Barolo & Barbaresco—but Arneis has been making a serious comeback as of late. A white grape variety indigenous to Piedmont known for its fleshy fruit flavors and richness of texture, it very nearly died out a few decades ago, but today is thriving at the Giovanni Almondo estate, who we think makes the best Arneis in the business.
Yes, the Nebbiolos from Almondo are excellent as well, but their Arneis bottlings transcend the genre, showing classic typicity, but with a structure more akin to a bone-dry Riesling. Planted on sandy, acidic ground at around 400 meters above sea level, the consistent wind, exposure, altitude and acidity of the soil create the vibrant, fresh and bright style of the Almondo Arneis.
We can’t imagine anyone not liking this wine, and boy does it taste good on a late Summer evening. Fleshy stone fruits, bone dry minerality, lots of character and for an amazing price, no less. Piedmont’s white Arneis wines are one of the biggest industry secrets at the moment. The Vigne Sparse tastes like fresh apricots and glides over the palate with an effortless, clean finish.
The Flavors of the Sea From Just Outside Naples
Just north of Naples, right on the coast of Campania, there is a very small grape-growing area called the Campi Flegrei. The soil is so sandy here that the vines can be planted directly in it, without being grafted to other rootstocks. La Sibilla’s Campi Flegrei wines made from the Falanghina grape are serious wines priced like an everyday bottle. Their distinction and character transcends what we see in America at the same price point, and the quality is apparent with every sip.
Luigi di Meo and his family have been farming these vineyards for over five generations and their wines are some of the best values in the store. What should you think of when you think of Campania? Fresh seafood. Fresh vegetables. The smell of the ocean. Flavorful pastas. Hospitality. Family.
The 2022 La Sibilla Falanghina showcases the dynamic duo of citrus and minerality, but with more weight than something like a Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre. There’s a subtle herbaceousness, but it’s wrapped up in salinity and notes of fresh tarragon. Pair this with just about anything, from a cheese plate with some salami to a seafood risotto. We think you’ll be a believe in both La Sibilla and Falanghina by the time you empty the bottle.
