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Idlewild The Bee Flora and Fauna White Wine 2017Proprietor Sam Bilbro has spent virtually a lifetime around wine. His family owns Marietta, while brothers Jake and Scot are behind the reborn Limerick Lane. At Idlewild, Sam Bilbro focuses on Italian and other less well-known varieties. In addition to these wines, I also tasted the, Arneis Fox Hill Vineyard, Vin Gris Dry Creek Valley and Grenache Gris Gibson Ranch. The best wines in this range are compelling, and point to a bright future. ANTONIO GALLONI, www.vinousmedia.com
Having had a relationship with the Bilbro family as importers of the Marietta wines some years ago we were delighted to find youngest son, Sam, was behind this new venture, Idlewild. In many ways the wines are the anitpathy of what so many believe Californian wines are supposed to be. Hunting out heritage stands of Italian and Rhone varietals (mostly in Mendocino County) Bilbro makes extremely interesting wines characterised by texture, savouriness and subtlety. Skin contact is a part of the wines as is a relatively non-interventionist approach; both indicative of the preferences of the younger brigade of Calfornia producers. PWS
The 2017 White The Bee Flora & Fauna, is a classy, polished wine to drink now and over the next few years. Green pear, mint, white flowers and light tropical overtones all grace this very pretty, expressive wine. The Muscat in particular adds an attractive aromatic flair. ANTONIO GALLONI2017Arneis, Cortese, MuscatUSA362$63.00 As low as $56.70 -
Santadi Onilos Cannonau 2022Cantina Santadi, form Sardinia’s southwestern coastal region known as Sulcis, was founded in 1960 as a cooperative of local growers. Under the guidance of Antonello Pilloni, Santadi has become one of Sardinia’s, and Italy’s, finest wineries, with more than 200 growers farming 600 hectares. In the early 1980’s, Antonello called on the late Giacomo Tachis to consult for Santadi. Creator of Sassicaia, Tachis would go on to become the man behind Italian wine’s worldwide renaissance. The Sulcis peninsula is, geologically, Sardinia's most ancient area, rich in archaeological sites, and offers an astonishing palette of variations and contrasts, with coastal sand dunes, gentle hills and inlets, narrow strips of flatland and inland mountains, rugged cliffs overhanging the sea interspersed with silky-smooth white beaches, pine trees, junipers and vineyards. In these sandy soils, pre-phylloxera vines continue to survive and thrive.
This is a stunning little number, ruby-red wine from the island of Sardinia, Italy. Made from 100% Cannonau grapes, it offers up a vibrant and subtely complex bouquet of ripe red fruits, spices and fresh leather. This bucks the trend of many cannonau wines from the island who often come across as soupy and overblown but here we have a wonderfuly light on its feet version with tons of crunchy freshness and pure fruits. It really is a bit of fresh air and we would love to see more of these wines go this way embracing levity and energy over gaudy fruit profiles. Perfect mid-season drinking here and still pack a flavour punch.2022CarignanoItaly480$34.00 As low as $30.60