Erbaluce di Caluso, 'Etichetta Verde', Luigi Ferrando

Since my mid twenties, I’ve been blessed to regularly drink many of the world’s rarest and most famous wines. Still, searching for lesser known bottles that deliver pleasure far beyond their modest price remains one of my greatest passions. I’m well aware that The Caubleist’s revenue would increase if I focused exclusively on high priced Burgundy and “known” wines - but I take great pride in offering our customers a road less traveled. And every so often when I’m seeking a “value wine” that over delivers, I discover a bottle so singular, so refreshingly different, that it makes me stop mid-sip and ask: “Whoah... what is THIS?” That’s exactly what happened with today's 2024 Erbaluce di Caluso “Etichetta Verde” from Piedmont legend Ferrando.

If Barolo is Piedmont's thunderous symphony, Erbaluce is its perfectly tuned violin. Grown 90 minutes north in Piedmont’s glacial moraines and alpine foothills, Erbaluce is one of Italy's oldest indigenous grapes, documented as far back as the early 1600s. The variety possesses a remarkable superpower: it can achieve full ripeness while stubbornly retaining laser-like acidity, producing whites that somehow feel simultaneously rich, energetic, and almost electrically alive. For generations, the Ferrando family has been one of the grape's greatest champions, helping preserve this tiny corner of northern Piedmont while the rest of the wine world chased trendier varieties.

Today’s “Etichetta Verde” bottling comes from Ferrando's prized Cascina Cariola vineyard in the village of Piverone. This is an remarkably high elevation vineyard with intense winds that keep grapes rot-free until late in the growing seasons. Harvest typically waits until the first days of October, which maximizes flavor development and phenolic ripeness. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel, followed by extended lees aging before release. This process preserves every ounce of the wine's crystalline purity while adding a layer of textural complexity that separates it from countless simple, thirst-quenching whites. Only a few hundred cases are produced annually.

What I love most about this Erbaluce is its versatility. I’ve opened quite a few bottles recently, and can attest that it shines with oysters, grilled fish, fried calamari, goat cheese, sushi, and vegetable risotto. Pale straw with flashes of green at the rim. The nose leaps from the glass with aromas of Meyer lemon, green pear, white peach, alpine wildflowers, crushed herbs, and wet river stone. On the palate, Ferrando's 2024 "Etichetta Verde" is simultaneously generous and razor-sharp, balancing juicy orchard fruit with a powerful streak of citrus-driven acidity and glacial minerality. The texture is surprisingly substantial for such an energetic wine, creating a sensation that is both refreshing and deeply satisfying. The finish is long, saline, and mouthwatering, lingering with notes of lemon zest, fennel frond, and crushed rock. Serve at 54°F in a medium-sized white Burgundy stem. It’s delicious today, but structured enough to reward 3-5 years of cellaring, during which it will gain notes of honeycomb, chamomile, and preserved citrus.