Alerancia 2019

Alessandro Gallici is our #1 Italian winemaker. A native of northeastern Italy, he’s best known for his refreshing whites and crowd-pleasing Prosecco. But, ever the explorer, he’s produced his most thrilling wine yet from much further afield...

It all started on a trip to Sicily. Alessandro heard rumors of a unique vineyard, located off the beaten path between Marsala and the Valley of the Temples. There, he discovered a tiny enclave of wild, time-worn vines that looked like short trees. They were so tucked away that they’ve never been exposed to chemicals, and so low-yielding that the fruit has unique depth and complexity.

In order to fully transmit the beauty of this hidden place—and the evocative flavors of the native Catarratto, Grillo and Inzolia grapes—Alessandro let the skins and juice ferment together for a few days. This led to a vibrant orange (‘arancia’) hue, silken texture and flavor that has to be tasted to be believed.

If you’ve never tried an orange wine before, it’s a completely new experience—with evocative new aromas and flavors to discover. There are definitely fruit flavors (ripe apple and stone fruit), but there are savory notes too—including a distinct nuttiness thanks to aging for two years in chestnut barrels—plus subtle hints of spice. You’ll also notice that there’s a richer texture than that found in most white wines. Because of that, we recommend serving the wine at cellar temperature (cool but not well-chilled) and pairing it with food.

Alerancia is a great match with shellfish, grilled fish with Salmoriglio sauce or spicy vegetarian cuisine. However you end up enjoying it, this wine is sure to be a talking point around the table. Just be sure to keep an open mind and see how the wine changes over the course of a few hours.

Given the popularity of Alessandro’s other wines—and the rarity of orange wines in Italy—we expect this new release to be in very high demand. Don’t delay.