CELLAR CHOICE

Italian whites to start the feasting with

From the renowned producer of white Friulian wines, comes this new innovative bottling of 95% Friulano and 5% Riesling (first vintage is 2015). Named after the founder Mario Schiopetto who helped to modernise the Italian wine industry in the 1980s, this unexpected blend combines the fresh fullness of pear and quince notes, followed by precisely layered almond and custard with ample minerality. Their Friulano superlative, coming from vines in the best southern slopes and manually harvested. It spends nine months ageing in stainless steel and six months in bottle. $112 from Italian Wine Club