Fiano Aromatico

            A different grape from the well-known Fiano associated with the area near Avellino in Campania. This one comes from Puglia and apparently is going into Italy’s national variety catalog as Minutolo, as it’s identified on this bottle.

            The grape does bear some resemblance to the “other” Fiano in its Muscat-like character. My bottle from Cantine Polvanera was vinified in stainless steel and was good summer drinking: fresh but not sharp, stony (or maybe that was steely), yet very entertaining to the palate. One blogger’s initial impression was “an explosive mix of Meyer lemon, lime zest, vanilla bean, quince and apricot jam.” Wish my taste buds worked like that. But I do agree there’s pear and lime to be tasted within a restrained but quite floral flavor that explains the “aromatico” name.

            Food pairing: My retailer said the wine was “ideal for anything with pesto,” and we had on hand Lorrie’s homemade pesto and some fresh scallops. Very enjoyable, though next time I think I would try a grilled fish with herbs that would allow the wine to shine through a bit more.