Fantastic White Wine From South Of Rome

My wine merchant held up the bottle of the 2022 Marco Carpeneti Bellone Nzu and proclaimed, "This wine is great!" I will wholeheartedly agree. Before you ask, Nzu means "togetherness" in the ancient dialect of Cori, symbolizing the marriage of ancient winemaking and modern organic farming. 

The three stars on the label are derived from the family's coat of arms as representing faith, hope, and charity. Today the stars represent sustainability, respect for nature, and innovation. The wine is made from 100% Bellone, a local grape in Cori, a city in the Lazio region of central Italy. It is aged in hand-made clay amphoras. Alcohol tips 14% abv and the retail price is $30.  

This wine is a pale yellow, with some light frizzante showing on the sides of the glass. The nose shows a floral aspect, with notes of apricot, mango, lemon, and lanolin. The palate is just as complex, with citrus minerality, salinity, and a nutty flavor. The acidity is middling, but on the brighter side of it. The wine finishes long and savory. It will be a nice pair with shrimp or crab. 

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More Amphora Wine, This Time From Italy

Elena Casadei grew up in a winemaking family, but she didn't think that would be her career. One summer, she was called back to Tuscany to lend a hand to her dad in the vineyard. To hear her tell it, the next thing she knew she was making her own wine. 

Her 2022 Ansonaco Toscana IGT is made completely from golden, Demeter certified organic Ansonica grapes. Ansonica is primarily grown in western Sicily, but the white fruit has found a home in Tuscany, too. Vinification takes place in giant terracotta amphorae, clay vats that are as tall as Elena. Six months aging takes place in the amphora, with another for months in the bottle. Alcohol is a comfortable 13% abv and the wine sells for about $32.

This wine is striking to look at. The color is a strident yellow, almost the shade of an amber ale. The nose brings a huge note of dried apricots, almost a sugary sense. There is also a nuttiness to the sniff. On the palate, a mix of apricot and Meyer lemon present one of the more unusual flavor profiles I've had recently in a wine. Salinity is high, acidity is fresh, but not sharp. It is quite an exceptional wine, if maybe just not for everyone. At the very least, it's an opportunity to mark the Ansonica grape on your Century Club list. 

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