Solnato Roma Bianco | 2022

Established as a wine appellation in 2011, the Rome DOC collectively produces less than 7,500 cases of wine spread across just 145 acres. That's the size of one, small to medium-sized, winery. 

This white is 100% Malvasia del Lazio (Other white grapes of the area include: Bellone, Bombino, Greco Bianco, Trebbiano Giallo, and Trebbiano Verde). Malvasia is a misleading term as it’s widely used for a range of ancient grape varieties, derived from the Greek port of Monemvasia. It’s the foundation of many sweet wines, including Madeira and Vin Santo. In Italy, there are over ten distinct Malvasia grape types, and the typecasted profile is that Malvasia is deeply colored, alcoholic, and oxidizes easily, producing those high-toned nutty-honeyed aromas. Solnato Roma Bianco is none of those things.

Pale yellow and green-tinged in the glass, this Malvasia is fresh and zippy. On the nose, passion fruit, orange twist, and lemon glow remind me more of a Sauvignon. On the palate, more colors unfurl, crunchy peach and pretty green mango. Aged on the lees in steel, tiny dust of flowers and phenolic bitterness give medium structure, followed by a satisfying bone-dry finish. A fun “new” DOC with a very old winemaking history, drink as the Romans do, when not in Rome. ~Allegra A