Jermann Sauvignon Blanc 2016

Original price was: $29.99.Current price is: $16.99.

Leaving his family vineyards in the early 1970s, Silvio Jermann traveled around the world searching for “great” winemaking. He went to Bordeaux, to Burgundy, to California, and even spent some time making ice wines in Ontario. What he found, or what experiences he gained, I don’t fully understand. But he came home fully convinced of one thing – that his Italian homeland of Friuli should be making world-class white wine.

Reflect on his audacity – when I first learned about selling wine professionally I was told, “You need to know one thing about Italian white wine: Pinot Grigio. You’re going to buy it by the bottle for $1, and sell it by the glass for $6. That’s how your restaurant is going to make money.” That’s a direct quote from cooking school.

My how things have changed! And Silvio Jermann was the man who changed them for Italian white wine. Now his son, Felix, is at the helm, representing the fifth generation of Jermanns that have guided Friulian winemaking for more than a century. Born and raised in the hills and vineyards of his ancestral home, his connection to Italian wine culture is so extensive and natural that it’s woven deep into his character. Our example today, his Sauvignon Blanc:

This Sauvignon opens with a gorgeous array of stone fruits – apricot, nectarines and peaches all spring to mind in a beautiful summery display of vivid intensity. Jermann’s Sauvignon Blanc has texture, massive texture, but not through oak. It is like Cotat’s Montes Damnes or Vatan’s Sancerre, rich and full but still taught and intense. The palate is a gorgeous near-orgy of stone fruit flavors ranging from apricots to almonds. The finish is what gets me most, though: clean, with a smoky-minerality, an almost fleur de sel-like character. This is world-class Sauvignon, drinking immensely right now. Yes, it’s 2016 vintage, and don’t worry – delicious now or will hold for at least another decade in your cellar.

This extraordinary Sauvignon is never cheap, but we have it at a heck of a sale price. Whatever you do, don’t miss it.