2019 Claudio Vio Riviera di Ponente Pigato

Just up the mountainside from Albenga on the Italian Riviera, on steep hillsides overlooking the Centa River, some 12km from the sea, sits the small hamlet of Vendone, where Claudio Vio has his pigato vineyards.

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Vio is a master of pigato, the Ligurian clonal sibling to vermentino​ (there is still some debate about just how closely the two varietals are related). "Pigato" means "freckled" in the Ligurian dialect, so-called because of the spotted skins of pigato grapes.

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Vio's wines are crisp and fruit-driven, yet can age well for a few years and develop from a supremely light to medium-bodied wine. This 2019 is fairly aromatic on the nose and pretty rich on the palate, with quince rind and citrus, light sage, and peach. The finish is mineral and dry as ice, so this wine pairs well with creamy oysters, rich cheeses, and light but fatty meats like game hen. Salty and a bit spicy on the finish, like ocean spray with baking spices. Definitely a food wine.