A Winning White From Sicily

In the last 15 years, Sicily has worked hard to revitalize indigenous grapes, and the region's winemakers are crafting sophisticated and vibrant wines. The Caruso and Minini estate was founded in the late 19th century and is still a family-run business. Their varietal Timpune Grillo Sicilia 2013 is a great match for grilling and summer dishes.

This yellow-gold wine comes from Western Sicily and hits a reasonable 13% abv, seling for less than $20 online.

This Sicilian Grillo has a soapy, earthy nose that leaps from the glass, obscuring the mango and apricot fruit aromas. It is uncompromisingly mineral-driven. The palate is also full of the earth from which it comes, with a savory salinity that runs through the white wines of the Italian islands. The wine has great structure, with acidity enough to handle most food pairings that come to mind for a white wine.

 A dish with a big herbal presence is a natural pairing. Stinky cheese, olives, almonds, grilled seafood or sesame Thai noodle come to mind. Pasta with olive oil and cracked pepper or linguine in a cream sauce would be great with this wine.

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