La Chiamata Trebbiano 2020

Young winemaker Ludovica Crugnale followed la chiamata (the calling) to create classic wines in her native Abruzzo. After spending time soaking up the knowledge of her mentor, Riccardo Cotarella—who’s known throughout the wine world as Il Mago (the wizard)—she’s crafted her gorgeous Trebbiano d’Abruzzo. We are seriously impressed, as are the critics. It sports 90 points from Decanter and 90 points from the International Wine and Spirit Competition. Their judges noted that her Trebbiano offers “beautifully bright fruit, with a citrus-driven aromatic profile and concentrated flavors of melon, banana and passionfruit. Fresh and crystalline with lots of personality.”

Ludovica works in an ultra-modern cellar, while championing the great time-honored winemaking methods of the region. For La Chiamata, she looked to local legend Signora Maria Elisii, who carefully hand tends and harvests her precious Trebbiano grapes in her beloved four-hectare (a little less than 10-acre) vineyard. Maria, who has now become dear friends with Ludovica, began working in the area in the 1950s—traditionally, women harvested, selected and cleaned grapes, before packaging them in special boxes to deliver to cooperatives. Today, she and her son Graziano specialize in limited-production releases like this one.

Just wait until you try this crisp, easy-going crowd pleaser—it’s bursting with expressive floral, orchard fruit and citrus notes. There’s a lovely intensity and freshness in Ludovica’s Trebbiano, it pairs well with grilled or baked fish and summer salads. Or take a tip from The Guardian: who call it an "appealingly light, fresh, seafood-friendly white.”

Order your share of this 90-point Italian white today.