'Food-friendly" is a wine term that gets thrown around a lot, but to me, that means a bottle with the kind of acidity and structure that helps a meal shine - more than a wine that can stand alone at a cocktail party. The white wines of Alto Adige, the Italian region near the Austrian Alps, are a rare breed that can manage to be both - and it is especially true of the wines from Cantina Terlano, which makes some of my favorite Italian whites.
Terlano (or Terlan) Pinot Bianco 2010
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Terlan - the cantina shortens the name on the label, though the LCB lists it as Terlano - even makes a wine of some character from the much-maligned pinot grigio. But its real specialty is grigio's lesser-known and more aromatic cousin, pinot bianco. A glass of the entry-level 2010 is one of the highlights on the wine list at Sbraga ($12/$55), crisp with orchard apple, pear, and lemon zest, yet deceptively full-bodied and floral on the nose. Usually, only Terlano's more complex "Vorberg" riserva is available retail (and it's well-worth $27.99 if you can find the remaining bottles in Montgomery County, code 18544.) For "Drink" readers, though, Pennsylvania has made the more affordable entry-level pinot bianco (usually special-order only) available online with free shipping.
- Craig LaBan
Terlano Pinot Bianco 2010, $17.99 (code 30385), online at www.finewineandgoodspirits.com
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