After being regulated to a token few spots on most wine lists for years, Italian white wines are finally starting to get their due. We’ve been preaching this gospel (yes Italy makes excellent white wines!) for years, however, we tend to focus on a few established areas–mostly Friuli, Campania, and Sicily–where high quality wines are concentrated. So it was super exciting to discover this lovely, mineral drenched white from the very tip of the boot’s toe, Calabria. This far-flung southern region is still very much under-the-radar, though an occasional red wine, usually made from Gaglioppo, can make a splash. But it turns out they have the perfect terroir for excellent coastal white wines too. Made from indigenous varieties, and hailing from one of Calabria’s most respected estates, this is a salty sea breath of fresh air in a bottle. The estate’s founder is local legend Roberto Ceraudo, and it’s a pleasure to introduce him to everyone!

In 1973 Roberto Ceraudo, the son of a local grain merchant, borrowed a little money in order to purchase an abandoned 100 acre estate (real estate in Calabria is a bargain these days, and was downright cheap back then). He nursed the property back to health, using organic principles from the start. Calabria is the southernmost region of mainland Italy, with its toe stretching down to almost touch the northeastern tip of Sicily. The land that Roberto purchased is located outside Strongoli, an ancient town nestled in the hills that rise above the eastern coastline, about halfway down the peninsula, and just a couple miles from the Ionian Sea. The DO here is called Val di Neto, and it sits just below the more famous Ciró appellation. This property is now one of the jewels of the area, and Calabria in general, thanks to Roberto’s decades of tireless work. Today he’s joined by his three children, making nine wines, olive oil, and running a small Agriturismo and a Michelin starred restaurant.

The entire line up wines they make are excellent, but today we are focusing on their fresh, zippy, and mineral loaded white wine named “Petelia.” It’s a 50/50 blend of two local, and likely ancient, varieties: Mantonico and Greco Bianco. Farming is certified organic and the Ceraudo’s use many biodynamic practices as well. The grapes are fermented with native yeasts in temperature controlled steel tanks, and then aged on the fine lees for about eight months in the same tanks before bottling with a light, natural filtration. It’s a clean, straightforward approach designed to highlight the fruit and the terroir, and in on the table next to some very heavy hitting Italian white wines it was the star of the show.

I recommend serving “Petelia” at around 48-50 degrees in all-purpose stems. The straw-gold hue shimmers with hints of bright yellow-green at the rim, and the aromas of white peach, lime zest, citrus blossoms, sagebrush, green olive, and sea breeze all rush up to greet you. The palate is medium-light in body, with just a touch of richness that is immediately met by a wave of saline minerals and super crisp, lemony acidity. It’s perfect with seafood pastas, but a cold salad of poached octopus and potatoes (common in Calabria) would be excellent too!