I Pastini Faraone Verdeca 2016

Synopsis, Our Opinion: A fresh and lively white wine from a lesser known Southern Italian grape.

Producer/Winery: Lino Carapelli; Societa Agricola I Pastini; Martina Franca, Italy.

Grape Variety: Verdeca.

Geographic Appellation, Region, Country: Puglia, Italy.

Vintage: 2016

Price: $14.40 (with a 10% mixed case discount)

Purchased From: The Caviste Wine Shop; Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Paired With: Roast chicken and garden salad with feta cheese.

Tasting:

Chilled before drinking. Clear, oat straw color. Soft melon, fleeting apple blossoms and two-year old alfalfa hay aromas. Lively, zesty, medium body and a 150-grit texture. Gobs of dusty mineral, tart Granny Smith apple and melon flavors, plenty of bright acidity that carries through a long tart fruity finish. WOW, this wine is kind of a sleeper…it starts light and fresh, but once it swirls through the mouth it lights up with acidity and tart zest all the way through the long finish. It gave life to the chicken and salad, was good without food and could only be described as delicious. A fresh and lively white wine from a lesser known Southern Italian grape.