Friday Sips

To wine geeks, Silvio Jermann is God! Jermann's 2013 Pinot Grigio is transparent, honest, achingly beautiful and terroir-driven with assaulting aromas of limestone, river rocks, and although there is absolutely no wood used here there is a sense of roundness that takes the extreme intensity and builds on it until there is almost the impression of creaminess in the mouth.

A sign of true white wine greatness is a level of ripeness and texture that comes from perfectly ripened fruit of old vines. There is a bit of perfumed pear, white flower and fresh citrus in the mid-palate but this is a lean athlete whose depth comes from the lush flavors of the site upon which it lives. The velvety finish dances on and on and so forth. If this is to be your first time experiencing Jermann Pinot Grigio, be prepared for it to ruin you for any other Grigio. Go all-in on this great deal; it's a fantastic food match with shellfish or simply grilled salmon, drizzled with lemon-infused olive oil.

From day one when I first started at The Cellar Door, there has always been an affinity for ABC wines, anything but Chardonnay. From 1998 through to current day, Karen and I have always agreed on this statement, but of course, there are two exceptions. Number one is hyphenated Chardonnay (White Burgundy like Puligny-Montrachet, Cameron Chardonnay Clos-Electrique, Chablis-Les Clos) and number two is giving it up to the renowned wines from Jermann on all levels which includes fabulous Chardonnay.

The first thing you may be compelled to ask about Jermann's Chardonnay will be, is it buttery like California? Is it French in style? The straightforward answer is that Jermann is Jermann. One of the icons who put Italian white wines on the map, Silvio Jermann has been doing his profound thing since the mid-70s. These wines have always been fabulous and looking back over 20+ years of selling this wine, Silvio continues to want to strive to be better and probably the most noticeable item since initially offering them is the amount of palate coverage that his wines have all while maintaining discretion. Besides working with Ribolla, Tocai Friulano, Pinot Bianco, and other local varietals, Silvio Jermann has been doing wonders with Chardonnay since the 1980 vintage so there certainly is a record of accomplishment.

Very pretty, restrained aromas of green apples, flowers, and engaging flint tones, the 2012 is dry, refreshingly relaxed, yet impeccably detailed and provocative in the mouth. No oak to interfere, just waves of stony flavors supported by a fine core of fruit. If names like Ribolla and Tocai Friulano have scared you away from Jermann before, then we urge you to try this legendary producer's Chardonnay. Drink it with fresh crab or grilled monkfish, you'll come back thanking us!

The first vintage of Vinnae was 1983 and was created in celebration of the birth of Silvio Jermann's second son, and to commemorate the family's 100 years of winemaking. Five Jermann generations have tended the Ribolla Gialla grape in the Collio vineyards of the Friuli, earning themselves the title of "vinnaioli" or "wine growers", hence the choice of the name "Vinnae".

The stellar 2010 Vinnae has a rich and forward nose of tangerine, white flowers and enhanced by forthright minerality. This seamless beauty coats your mouth with rich flavors that are kept in perfect balance by lightning-crisp acidity and minerality which are derived from an alchemy of ancient vines planted in marlstone and sandstone soils. This wine screams for seafood, in particular simple preparations of crab, shrimp, and even halibut. Nothing brings a bit of sunshine quite like a little Jermann Vinnae. Silvio has done it again, so don't miss this truly world-class, limited production Italian white wine at this outstanding price!

The Italian region of Piedmont, which is famous for Barolo and Barbaresco, also extends well north of these famous areas and regions like Gattinara have been producing wines for centuries. Recently the producers in this area (as well as Ghemme, Faro & Lessona) have really upped the ante on their quality and primetime Nebbiolo wines are sprouting up and not only do they represent excellent price/quality rapport, they can age quite well, too.

Situated between Barolo and the Swiss border, the soils and overall terroir for Gattinara are significantly different being a combination of volcanic rock along with iron-rich gravel. With its distinctive, curvaceous, funky-ass looking bottle, Travaglini is one of the region's most important producers. For many years, this was the go-to producer for Gattinara but alas, the decade of the 90s found them in the wilderness with mediocre at best quality. A generation change came about just after 2000 and the quality has soared back to levels that it once was. 100% Nebbiolo and revealing alluring, refined scents of licorice, graphite and asphalt along with red fruits and potpourri-spices. Submerged perfume and earth unfolds as the wine airs in the glass. In the mouth, a sultry core of fruit presents itself before gaining structure and spine. Energetic, mysterious and elusive yet very seductive. Enjoy this Nebbiolo through the end of the decade.