Sartarelli Verdicchio Balciana 2017
 

• Sale $29.89 – Beats Best US Price Online
• Buy 3 or more pay $27.99
• Buy six or more pay $25.99

97 pts Decanter

To say I am excited for this wine is an understatement. I am ecstatic! In fact, this represents my largest purchase for an Italian white in this price range!

So what has me sprouting goosebumps?

The vineyard is uniquely positioned to foster the development of botrytis, the “noble rot” that results in the famed wines of Sauternes.

It is here that the winemaking takes a serious left turn… the wine is fermented DRY. All of the incredible aromas and flavors from late-harvest, botrytis-affected grapes (about 15% of the wine) turned into an intense, potent (15.5% alc), DRY wine.

It’s crazy.

The wine explodes with aromas of peach, apricot, papaya and mango, giving way to flavors of melon, guava, almond and honey… crystalized ginger… lemon oil… and… not a hint of sweetness. Every sip, my mind is blown, as I am expecting the jolt of sugar to follow… and when it doesn’t, and there is this almost saline finish, I start salivating. Only another sip will quench my thirst.

No this isn’t for everyone. If you prefer austere, joyless wines, then stay clear. If you want mind-blowing, gotta-have-more deliciousness of the sort that is usually only reserved for red wines, then here ya go.

And you don’t need to be shy about the food pairing. The winery suggests: “It is an amazing match with stock fish (dried cod) “all’anconetana” (typical local dish) or baked salt-cured cod and also very good with smoked fish and beccafico sardine. It combines very well with foie gras or paté de foie gras, roast goose, duck, turkey, it is also perfect with cheeses, especially mature ones.” I think you get the gist…

“It has an exuberant botrytis nose with layers of fresh, dried and candied fruits. A combination of richness and freshness. Decanter

“You fall in love with this wine by just looking at it: of a brilliant color, it is dressed in shining gold. Nice intensity with an interesting nose of ripe and tropical fruits, sweet notes of honey, linden, spicy and citrus fruit notes, licorice root and almonds. It is a very well-balanced wine in the mouth, a full-bodied wine with high alcohol content but at the same time still fresh and strongly sapid. Even a more unique wine because of its strongly persistent smell and taste with an iodate finish. It is a simply fascinating and persuasively charming wine.”winery note


Or reply. The wine is available now in Chapel Hill. Friday, as ordered, in Hillsborough.