Abruzzo, Italy
Abruzzo is an Italian wine region on the Adriatic coast of eastern Italy. A historic area for production and of great significance to Italian wine, some of the country's most celebrated and influential producers hail from this region. Abruzzo also enjoys full autonomy from the rest of Italy's wine regions, with little influence from the Tuscans to the west or the Venetians to the north impacting winemaking here. Actually, Abruzzo stands out for its notable co-operative method of producing wine, where over two-thirds of the region's wine is produced with multiple families farming small parcels of land and selling grapes into the larger co-op for production.
Passerina, an ancient and traditional grape variety used in white wines from central Italy, is the star of the show here. Novaripa uses their extensive co-op of 200+ organic and sustainable grape growers to assemble this delicious offering.
This hits with ripe Bosc pear and notes of lime on the nose. The primary fruit is quite noticeable. Mid-weight and fruit-driven on the palate, with pear and lime notes mixing with ripe white grapefruit. There is some acidity here, but this is a pretty textbook example of Passerina, which is a fairly low acid wine. Balance is achieved here with that salty tang on the finish that is characteristic of the minerality.
A salty, citrusy sipper with great texture and drinkability. Hard to pass up on this everyday beauty of extraordinary value.
Killer with some grilled white fish finished with lemon, lightly dressed salads, asparagus roasted with garlic and lemon, sushi or even grilled chicken with a salad of frisée and radicchio.