Matthiason, Ribolla Gialla, Napa 2015

Ribolla gialla originates in the Friuli region of Italy and across the border in Slovenia. Its earliest known mention was in the Pope’s paperwork managing a dispute between the Bishop of Trieste and a monastery in Venezia in 1296. Ribolla gialla makes an unparalleled food wine, filling the gap in food pairing between white wines and red wines—it can be amazing with pork, fatty raw seafood, and intense cheeses. We chose to ferment this wine on its skins and stems in the ancient manner.

The Ribolla gialla tastes like hazelnuts, baking spices, meyer lemon curd, Bartlett pear, but most of all it has a stony minerality that is incredibly distinctive. There is supple tannic structure and fresh balanced acidity, with great weight and length given the low alcohol.

This would be considered an orange wine. Recommended for those who understand this style.