One of my least favorite questions is, “What’s your favorite wine?” It’s impossible to answer — there are simply too many variables. Who am I with? Where am I? What am I eating? What mood am I in? All of these dramatically influence the wine I want to drink in the moment.
Now, if you ask me, “If you could only drink one wine for the rest of your life, what would it be?” — that I can answer. I’d consider myself an acid head. I love lean, mineral-driven, high-acid wines, especially whites. One grape that checks all of those boxes is Grillo from Sicily. I enjoy wines that transport me to a place, and opening a bottle of Grillo alongside fresh ceviche instantly rekindles memories of our time in Ragusa, Sicily. Surrounded by some of the freshest seafood in the Mediterranean, Grillo feels like the perfect pairing.
The Grillo I’ll be drinking this summer is from Poggio Anima, a joint venture between one of Tuscany’s rising stars, Riccardo Campinoti of Le Ragnaie in Montalcino, and U.S. importer Ronnie Sanders of Vine Street Imports. The vineyard is located in western Sicily, in the Chirchiaro area between Salemi and Vita, roughly 25 miles from Marsala. The vines are planted on sandy, clay-rich soils at around 1,600 feet above sea level, with cooling maritime influence that gives the wine its unmistakable freshness.
Expect a medium-bodied white layered with saline notes, bright citrus, and lively minerality. This is summer in a glass.
