Let’s talk about a super tasty white wine I discovered!

I came across 2017 Lunae Colli di Luni Vermentino at a wine event and was blown away by its powerful notes: I got fresh herbs. And sea salt. And lemon zest. I’m not usually a white wine lover, but this one got me.

As far as tasting notes, at first this seems a lot like other Italian white wines: crisp, fresh, citrusy. Bright waves of lemon zest wash over you. But on the second wave, you get deeper flavors or sweet honeysuckle and vanilla. Then comes a ZING of fresh herbs, like mint and sage. And at the end, a slight bitter almond finish lingers on the tongue.

This wine hails from the Liguria region, sitting on the north/western coast of Italy (home to the famous Cinque Terre). If you know Salt Fat Acid Heat on Netflix, this is where they make that delicious-looking focaccia and pesto 🙂 Liguria is situated right on the coast, so the grapes growing here pick up salty sea notes from the wind and waves, creating a super crisp and minerally wine.

I’ve paired this wine with a few dishes, and my top recommendations so far are a veggie burrito bowl and ravioli with pesto sauce. But, I’m positive it would also be absolutely fantastic with salad and other types of lighter veggie dishes, too.

I would NOT recommend pairing this wine with red sauce. When I did this, the wine was completely overwhelmed, and the tomatoes/acidity washed over the subtle herbal notes in the wine.

How to get it: After searching unsuccessfully online, I finally found 2017 Lunae Colli di Luni Vermentino wine at Eataly for $21. There is also a black label version that’s supposedly even better—I’ll try that one next time!