Esporão, Assyrtyko and Pigato
The first taste is Esporão, a Portuguese white wine made in the style of Chardonnay. It is aged in wood, but delicately. It has only 13.5% ABV. The region is near the Atlantic Ocean in a cool area. It’s a 2020 and still fresh. It was $30 at first release, but now it is $12.99. The wine has the aging that it needs, it’s ready to drink.
The next tasting is a 2024 Assyrtyko. It is a Greek grape that grows primarily in Greece. But this one is from Jim Barry Wines in Claire Valley in Australia. It sells for about $24 at Bottle Barn.
Dan thinks the next wave of interest in wine will not be from collectors. There will have to be more diversity in the choices of wines, varieties and origins. Wine today is better than it has ever been around the world, because of better grape growing and better technology.
Then they taste a 2024 Pigato from Liguria from the Durin label. It has some lemon blossom in the aroma. It’s delicious and has a lot of personality. Pigato only grows in Italy in Piedmont and Liguria, both are cool climates. Wine makers need to plant grapes like Pigato here in California.
Pithos Rosso and Verduno Pelaverga
Next is a red, Pithos Rosso. The bottle is 750 ml but has a squat shape. The grape variety is Nero d’Avola and is native to Sicily. The label says both Italy and Sicily. It is red, but light and delicious and not particularly tannic.
Last is a 2024 Verduno Pelaverga from Fratelli Alessandria. It is a light grape from the Piemonte province, where Barolo and Barbera also grow. Pelaverga was planted as a blending grape. After 1945, they sent cuttings to UC Davis. Then, the vineyard was bulldozed and became extinct in Italy. But UC Davis had cuttings and now they have replanted it in Italy. It is as light as a Rosé but it has the taste and flavor of red wine. It’s Dan’s favorite recent discovery. Bottle Barn has it for $29.95, down from $45. It has the flavor profile of a good Barolo. Black pepper, violets, green herb, “complexity without knowing what it is.” Pelaverga is very rare here. The importer is North Berkeley Imports. Dan says they are committed to the wines they import.