Wine Advent-ure Day 7:

Stacks & Stones (IGT)

Region/Country: Rubicone (IGT)/Italy
Varietal: Famoso

For Day 7 of the Advent we return to familiar territory, Rubicone in central Italy. However the grape varietal featured in this bottle of Stacks & Stones is a far less familiar grape, at least in my experience, Called “Famoso”, or “famous” in Italian, this grape varietal was actually near extinction in the early 2000s, but has made a vibrant comeback to the winemaking stage in the following years. According to aroundtheworldinwines.com growers grow the grapes close to the ground, as opposed to on trellises, a tactic learned from the Greeks, which gives the grapes their “unique” qualities.

This Famoso has a tantalizing nose of peach, apricot and honeydew , with some lemon and white flowers. It is a surprisingly complex and aromatic bouquet that leads to the palate. peach and honeydew also make an appearance, balanced by the more tart lemon. Speaking of which this wine has a lively acidity that gives the wine an edge, ending in a clean finish. It kinda reminds me of an acidic Riesling, with elements of Gewurztraminer. Overall it is quite a porch pounder, and while aroundtheworldinwines.com recommends pairing it with aromatic foods, like shrimp spring rolls or Moroccan chicken, I would be perfectly at home sipping this unaccompanied in the summertime.