We received the product for review and all opinions are our own.
Sometimes it can be fun stepping outside your normal comfort zone and reaching for something new to try. What better time to shake up your routine and add some new color, varietal, and a new country, region, or style of wine to your shopping list than in spring? The team at Texas Wine Lover always enjoys trying something new and refreshing, and when we get to see how the terroir and a varietal represent a different sense of place to compare with our wines from Texas, we find it both enriching and rewarding. Since Italian grape varietals are now becoming more and more common place amid the many varietals being grown and thriving in this state, we were happy to taste a white varietal from Italy that provided a different perspective on white wine varietals found here.
We recently had the opportunity to try an organic white Italian wine from the winery Ciù Ciù, (pronounced choo choo). This winery and vineyard was established in 1970 by the Bartolomei family and is situated in Offida, Italy, located amid the rolling hills of Piceno with over 380 acres of vineyards planted across hillsides in the Marche region of the country. This is not the first time we have reported and reviewed a wine from this winery, but this is an update and a new review for a different wine and varietal than our last review for a 2015 wine.
The winery has remained family owned since inception with a family commitment to organic farming and wine production. They believe when you put your heart and soul into it, the true terroir of the region with its unique soil profile, microclimate, and eco-system are all important elements that help define and delineate the wines produced and help the beauty of the fruit shine through.
The white wine we had the pleasure of reviewing is Arbinus, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi. This dense white has light to medium clarity and is the color of straw in the glass. It is produced from 100% Verdicchio grapes grown in the province of Ancona at about 984 feet above sea level. The fruit was harvested by hand in late September and lightly aged in stainless steel. This wine is not aged long and is intended to be ready to be enjoyed by the spring following its harvest.
The wine has an interesting balance of pronounced minerals and balanced acidity to give it a solid structure and making it a versatile option to easily pair with a variety of dishes. The nose is rich in minerals, yet entices with delicate honeysuckle flowers, and the bright and bold fragrance of citrus, making for an interesting blend of distinct scents. This lovely white has solid structure and definite mineral notes on the entry, followed by honeydew and pink grapefruit on the finish due to its acidity.
All told, it is crisp and quite refreshing with a 13% alcohol content. The acid levels in this wine will continue to make this a great option for many seasonal dishes as spring transitions to summer, and will pair nicely with pastas, seafood, and vegetable dishes. We highly recommend enjoying this one chilled. The price point for this bottle is around $16.00, making it an affordable option to add to your shopping list as you venture forth in search of new things to try this season. Do give this one a swirl in your wine glass, we think you will enjoy this refreshing option.
Verdicchio is a variety of grape I have not yet tried. So, I may give it a shot. I can then add it to my Wine Century Club list, working toward my goal of 100 different varietals of wines. Fun!
Good luck with that Wine Century Club!