Italian White Wines for Summer

Seasonal foods call for seasonal wine.

When summer roles around I think BBQ and the red wines that go well with steaks, ribs, burgers.

I also think of one of my favorite summer dishes, linguine with white clam sauce. I realize you can have this all year round, but I don't. It is just not as good. Nothing like fresh clams, hours out of the water, and fresh local parsley and garlic, they are the makings of a perfect dinner. 

My favorite wine for this dish is either a Vermentino or an Italian Sauvignon.

Vermentino is a grape, with one exception that I know of, that is only grown in Italy. The best Vermentino wines come from Sardinia, although there are some good ones from Tuscany. Actually I stand corrected, I see now that it is grown in Spain, Portugal, Sardinia, Corsica, Tuscany and Liguria. And as I mentioned California.

The other night I tasted a Vermentino from California, Mahoney 2007 Vermentino, a worthy effort, but just not what a Vermentino should be.

I have only tasted Vermentino from Sardinia, Tuscany and California so I have some work to do. It might be difficult as it seems the only Vermentinos in this area are from Italy.

I recently bought a Sardinian Vermentino  from the highly regarded vineyard Cantine Argiolas. Argiolas has been producing great wines since 1918. They embrace a philosophy that I highly commend.

"A good wine comes not only from technique. It comes also from humility, passion, love and care for the vineyards and their products. I received this philosophy as a gift of nature, and I gave it to my sons and to anyone who has joined me in this extraordinary adventure."

They call their Vermentino Costamolino  - Vermentino di Sardegna DOC

They say that the grapes are picked manually during the early morning hours by expert personnel who perform initial rigorous selection.

The importer Winebow describes the wine this way:

"Costamolino is straw yellow in color with green highlights and an intense yet delicate bouquet that displays distinct characteristics for the variety. Supple aromas of citrus, pineapple, tropical fruits and honey are wonderfully supported by a zesty acidity. Delicate and pleasantly refreshing on the palate, Costamolino is the wine of choice for many dishes, from fish antipasti and pastas to vegetables terrine, salads, white meat casseroles, and risotto. Delicious with Asian food and sushi."   Winebow

I don't agree with the Asian food and sushi pairing, but maybe I should give it a try.

Other Vermentinos I like are found here Italian Wines at Il Forno.

The second wine I recommend for this dish is an Italian Sauvignon.

Wines made from Sauvignon Blanc are so diverse in flavor and style. In Italy they are mainly produced in Friuli and and Alto Adige.  They are usually simply called Sauvignon and have a broader, more herbal, deeper apricot flavors along with the usually grapefruit and citrus found in this type of wine.

Today I tasted Ronco Del Gelso Sauvignon produced by the Badin family in Cormons, Fruili, Venezia Guilia. I like the deep grapefruit, apricot and minerality of this wine. The herbal flavors were not overpowering, it has nice balance of acidity and fruit. It rolls across the tongue with delight.

Other Italian Sauvignons I like are produced by Vie di Romans or Schiopetto.

I found both of the wines reviewed here at Bertelli's in Clifton, NJ.