2020 Arbe Garbe White Wine Russian River Valley 750 ml

Friulian white wines are having a serious moment among the vino cognoscenti—and California’s top wine talents want in. As acclaimed winemakers seek out Malvasia and Tocai Friulano grapes for their new passion projects, Arbe Garbe stands as a pioneer and standard-bearer in crafting Friulian-inspired blends in the Golden State.

Though the grapes in this blend might be hard to pronounce, the resulting wine is dangerously easy to drink. The monumental 2020 is so aromatic and textural that you can practically taste the Friulian cover crops—the arbe garbe—for which it's named.

A honey-gold core hints at the light skin-contact this wine undergoes, then the bouquet explodes with layers of honeysuckle, key lime, and lychee. Generously rich while still light on its feet, a citrusy character is awash with mouthwatering acidity and heightened by the barest hint of tarragon through the long, gorgeous finish.

Produced in minuscule quantities, Arbe Garbe’s white wines helped set the benchmark for the dazzling Friuli-California style way back in 2007. Their stature has grown ever since, and the label’s bottles have now become virtually impossible to find.

Arbe Garbe’s owners, Friuli natives Letizia Pauletto and Enrico Bertoz, cut their teeth at 100-point powerhouse Sine Qua Non, but found they were unable to shake their love of vibrant Friulian white wines. After searching for the Malvasia and Tocai Friulano of their homeland, they found them in the Russian River Valley.

A blend that begs to be paired with English pea risotto or a spring salad with melon and prosciutto, this wine will linger in your memory long after the last glass has been drained.