Valdibella 'Ninfa' 2021

The vibe: This beautiful bottle is from a wine cooperative that we know and love, Validbella. We’ve stocked a couple other cuveés from these guys but this one is new to us and we couldn’t wait to share it. The Ninfa is an orange wine made from a rare variation of Catarratto called Extra Lucido, which has soft skins and a more delicate profile. It has plenty of color and tea-like tannin structure, and an incredibly aromatic profile of dried apricots and ginger underscored by a slightly savory marine influence. It’s the perfect winter white to start off this month’s lineup. Drink it like a chilled red - it doesn’t need to be cold cold. 

The winemaker: Valdibella is a cooperative farmed by ten organic farms operating in Camporeale, a Sicilian village in the province of Palermo. Valdibella’s members work with native grape varietals and other crops typical of Sicily, cultivated with respect to nature and the biodiversity of the land. 

The geeky details: 100% Catarratto from one of Valdibella’s oldest vineyards. Slow and gradual ripening followed by hand harvesting and de-stemming. Fermented on the skins for 12 days followed by aging on the lees until spring. Bottled without added sulphites. 

Serve: With a light chill.

Food pairing: A warm winter salad with roasted chicken and/or veggies with subtle spices and top it with balsamic vinegar. Chef’s kiss. Seafood and light chicken or root veggie-based dishes are also a safe bet. 

Album pairing: HATAMITSUNAMI - All That Glisters…