Because of its tendency to ripen later than the region’s other white grapes, Verdiso was almost lost to history in the mid-twentieth century. That would have been a shame, because it makes a unique and refreshing wine. The 2021 has a sweet nose with summery whiffs of peach and apricot, a silky mid-palate, and a lovely citrus and mineral finish.

When we talk about the most crisp and mineral white wines from France and Italy that so clearly convey their terroirs, we often use Muscadet and Chablis as the benchmarks. But it’s time that the best Garganegas, like this one from Davide Vignato, join their French counterparts in the conversation.
     Take one sip of Davide’s El Gian and you know immediately that its almost salty stoniness bespeaks a unique and exhilarating terroir. In the foothills of the Italian Alps east of Verona, Davide farms fourteen hectares of mostly Garganega planted in soils composed of basalt columns originating from a small, extinct volcano just a few hundred meters from the winery. His decades-long organic and biodynamic practices have made him a pioneer here in the small village of Gambellara, and they are crucial to capturing an astonishingly pure expression of terroir in the glass. Bracing, floral, and stony, this bianco offers notes of herbs, citrus, and pear that make it a perfect match for all varieties of fresh seafood. Try it with Georgeanne Brennan’s spaghetti nero with Dungeness crab for an exquisite and regionally inspired springtime feast.

With a nutty nose, a palate full of juicy green apple notes, and a spicy, mouthwatering, lemon-zest-tinged finish, Massimo Padova’s fully dry Mizzica—made from a local Moscato variant called Moscato di Noto—is the perfect pairing for all manner of frutti di mare. It’s like Muscadet with an Italian accent