2017 Laura Aschero Riviera Ligure di Ponente Vermentino

Pure, Table-Friendly Vermentino

Why do sommeliers at Michelin-starred restaurants seek out the world’s tiny, tucked-away wine regions? Because of wines like the 2017 Laura Aschero Riviera Ligure di Ponente Vermentino, an insider white wine from the Ligurian Riviera that has landed on the list at Two-Star Aquarello in San Francisco, as well as Italian wine epicenter Oenotri in Napa. Saline, aromatic, and satisfying, this wine simply calls to lovers of crisp, unoaked whites.

If you’re a fan of Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, bump this Vermentino to the top of your list. Raised in the cool, salty breath of the Mediterranean, it is packed with dazzling minerality balanced with ripe fruit and spices redolent of coriander, and white pepper seasoning. It is fresh and satisfying, and one of the most food-friendly wines imaginable, ready to pair with all kinds of seafood, vegetables, and cheeses. There’s a reason some of the finest wine programs in California are embracing this gem for their by-the-glass offerings. For the price of two glasses in one of these oenological temples, you can have a bottle in the fridge, always at the ready.  At $29.99, we don’t expect our small allocation to last long. Shipping included on 5.

A few years ago, we took a road trip along the ancient Roman route from Monte Carlo to Genoa, meandering along and stopping frequently for pesto pizza, fried seafood dusted with sale marino, and basil gelato. When the glint of the sun off le Med caught our eye, we paused for a photo moment to bask in the heaven of it all.

This is Laura Aschero country, and one sip of the Riviera Ligure di Ponente Vermentino takes us right back—the sunshine and the sea spray are all there, and that’s why somms can’t get enough. Here’s what we do: Chill this bottle down while preparing something from the sea, maybe marinated anchovies, antipasti ai frutti di mare, or Ligurian fish stew packed with sea bass, shrimp and clams. As we set the table, we sip, letting the wine warm up and the aromatics bloom.

Azienda Agricola Laura Aschero is now in the hands of Laura’s son, Marco Rizzo, and his wife Carla. The family’s cellar in Liguria is almost exactly as you would imagine: Located in a 15th-century building below the piazza of Pontedassio, the rustic exterior belies the modern winemaking facility. But modern or not, this is a family operation, and production is extremely small. Needless to say, our allocation is too.

• Fruit Intensity
• Oak Intensity
• Body
• Sweetness
• Acidity

• ABV 12.50%
• 15 mins
• Drink Up
• % Vermentino
• Serving temperature – 50°
• Cork