2016 Sauvignon Zitelle

There is nobody more talented than Miani owner Enzo Pontoni at making white wine in Italy. In fact, his level of skill is such, and his wines so amazing in just about every vintage (granted, 2014 wasn’t easy on Pontoni either) that his name and that of the estate belong in the same class of the Leflaives, Coche-Durys, Egon Mullers, Raveneaus, and Dagueneaus of the wine world. Fortunately for those who all love wine, it looks like there will be more of Pontoni’s liquid magic for wine lovers to try. This is because in 2006, Paolo Meroi, a close friend of Pontoni, had the opportunity to purchase a large tract of land known as Le Zitelle. The Le Zitelle (which means the spinsters) was owned by a group of local nuns who over the years had rented out portions of it to local growers and winemakers. As this plot of vines was too large for Meroi to buy alone, he decided to split it with Pontoni (apparently, many years ago, Pontoni’s grandfather had planted many of the original vines on the site). Pontoni has since completely replanted Le Zitelle and made his first wines from these vines in 2015. Pontoni will also be making new Refosco del Peduncolo Rosso wines (he now owns vineyard plots near Buttrio and Rosazzo) and now also owns the Pettarin vineyard, named after the old owners) from where he makes FVG’s best Ribolla Gialla wine (one of Italy’s best white wines). Just about every wine made by Pontoni is the best in Italy in its class, but it’s the Ribolla Gialla and the Sauvignon Blancs that are simply mesmerizingly and unforgettably good. The Sauvignon Blancs especially are so pure, precise and concentrated they are absolutely like nothing else you’ll taste from anywhere else in the world. In my books, only Didier Daugueneau comes up with something similar, or close.