THE WIN GUY

Ihave no particular explanation, but for whatever reason a bevy of Italian white wines have recently cycled through my tasting glass.

Perhaps it’s the run of fine autumn weather that has me clinging to glasses filled with liquid, vestigial sunshine. Maybe it’s the result of fantastic pairing potential with mussels, clams, and other local seafood coming into seasonal bloom.

Or conceivably it’s a subliminal cultural influence from the bounty of delicious Italian eateries cropping up all over the city (Autostrada, Di Beppe, La Tana, etc.).

Whatever the reason, the great thing is that the range of Italian biancos available is just as diverse as the country’s rossos. As evidence, check out these three bottles, which cover Italy from north to south. THE SWIRL: SINGLETREE WINERY’S LONGTABLE HARVEST DINNER

Abbotsford’s Singletree Winery invites the community to gather at Mt. Lehman Community Hall (6418 Mount Lehman Rd., Abbotsford) from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Nov. 3 to celebrate the year’s cornucopia. Its Winemaker’s Longtable Harvest Dinner features a six-course, family-style meal prepared by chefs from Forage and paired with the latest vintage of Singletree wines. Tickets are $150 ($125 for wine club members), available through the winery tasting room or at 604-381-1788. Head to singletreewinery.com for complete details. Ruffino 2016 Moscato d’Asti, Italy ($14.99 on sale until October 27, #116580)

Moscato d’Asti is smile-inducing wine. Made from Moscato Bianco (or Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains as its known in France) grown in the northern reaches of Piedmont, it’s fun, it’s festive, it’s sweet, and it’s effervescent — not to mention it is quite low in alcohol content (typically 5 to 6 per cent A.B.V.). In short, it’s a crowd-pleasing kind of bottle. Case in point: Ruffino’s exuberant Moscato d’Asti, which explodes aromatically out of the glass with scents of orange blossom and orchard fruit and manages to be both vibrant and sweet. It’s great solo on a patio, but also marries well with appies — try prosciuttowrapped melon for a classic match.

Bottom line: B. Fizzy fun. Barone di Valforte 2016 Passerina, Italy ($17.99, #508309)

Jumping quite a bit south to the heart of Abruzzo, to a region more or less hugging the Adriatic Coast, we find Barone di Valforte, a 300-hectare estate winery run by the Sorricchio di Valforte family since the 14th century. Passerino is a fairly rare and fairly obscure grape found in Le Marche and Abruzzo regions, so it’s great we have a chance to pick up a bottle locally. Featuring high citrus tones and an herbal underlay, this is a crisp and dry wine that finishes fresh with notes of mineral and a nutty sensation. Serve with a big pot of freshly steamed mussels. Bottom line: B+ Obscure, exciting white. Natale Verga 2016 Grillo, Italy ($13.99 on sale until October 27, #219725)

Head about as far south as possible in Italy and you’ll end up on the island of Sicily, a region that is home to its own fair share of notable wine grapes, including Grillo. Thanks to its heat and drought tolerance, Grillo is a natural cultivar for Sicily’s famed fortified Marsala wine, but it makes great table white as well. Check out the Natale Verga Grillo, which uses organically grown Grillo to create a deep golden-coloured wine with bold citrus, mineral, and grape Fizz candy aromas. A zingy intro leads to a smooth midpalate before a lingering, slightly spicy and earthy finish. Bottom line: B- Genial

Grillo.