I enjoyed this lovely Italian white “field blend” at one of my favorite restaurants on Nantucket (where I had one of my best meals of 2018). Nautilus is a pain to get in to in the high season, with a wacky reservation systems that require waiting in line at noon when I’d really rather be at the beach, but we lucked out with seats at the bar and were treated to really one of the best meals I’ve ever had. Alongside, we shared this white wine from Luigi Baudana, a small producer located in Serralunga d’Alba in the heart of Piemonte.

They call it a field blend as the white varietals (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Nascetta) are planted side by side in the vineyard and vinified together, rather unusual for this region. The Baudana family originally planted the varietals side by side as an experiment to see which whites worked best in their environment, with the intention to replant to Nebbiolo (more common for the region) after conducting their experiment. But the wine was too good so they kept it!

Aging in stainless steel preserves the bright fruit flavors and crisp acidity. A nose of wet river rock, stone fruit and fresh cut grass develops into a fresh and dry first sip with a hint of salinity on the finish. A perfect food wine that paired so well with the slightly Asian flavors and seafood focus of our meal.

Wine: 2016 Luigi Baudana “Dragon” Langhe Bianco
Purchased: Nautilus Nantucket
Price: $18-$20 retail