Sometimes in the depth of a cold winter there is nothing I find more refreshing than a crisp white wine. I know many think of winter as “red” weather and I will say I thoroughly enjoy a dark, brooding red on a cold winter’s night; however, after weeks of holiday eating and drinking I find it nice to lighten things up a bit with a lighter dinner and a lovely white wine. As you know I am a huge fan of Italian wine so what better crisp white wine to enjoy on a cold winter’s night than an Italian white; another awesome media sample sent to me from the awesome people at Banner Media Group.

Carlin de Paola Terre Alfieri Arneis DOC 2012: This wine poured a soft golden yellow, almost clear, into the glass. It opened with lovely aromas of a floral bouquet with orchard fruit and a touch of nutmeg. On the palate this crisp white wine delivered light and refreshing flavors of Granny Smith apples, pears, white peaches, lime zest and a touch of cedar on the back of the palate. This wine was crafted of 100% Aneis grapes, was medium in body with a clean mouth-feel, simple yet pleasing with great acidity that balance out the fruit and leave a lingering, dry finish on the palate. The grapes were selected from Carlin de Paola vineyards in Piedmont, Monferrato, Colline Alfieri, Asti, San Damiano d’Asti from vines that average 10-20 years old at 250-300 meter above sea level in sandy, clayey and calcareous soil. The wine contained 13% alcohol. It made for a great winter change of pace and would also transition well into spring and summer.

I chose to pair this versatile wine with oven baked chicken, roasted potatoes and sautéed Brussels sprouts with butternut squash, crispy pancetta, maple syrup and crumbled Gorgonzola cheese. The wine paired beautifully with this meal. The bright acidity and dry finish of the wine really balanced out the meal and blended well with the sweet and creamy Brussels sprout side as well as the chicken and potatoes. Other great pairings with this wine include fish, salad, and eggs or serve as an aperitif.

I thoroughly enjoyed this light and refreshing Arneis and recommend you purchase a few bottles to have on hand for a many occasions. I encourage you to purchase this wine at Wine.com, by using this hyperlink, for $17.99/each.

Furthermore, you can save 10% Off 12+ Bottles with Code 12FORME exclusively at Wine.com

From the Carlin de Paolo web site:

We are a family winery, already in its fourth generation and we have always and exclusively produced and sold wines. Our grandfather Carlin, son of our great-grandfather Paolo, was an indefatigable worker, bent from the hard work carried out in the vineyards for many years. However he was always joyful, with his fist clenched as a sign of determination and always striding forward. The work of the soil, the love for the family, a life full of sacrifices, his trousers patched, and an open heart.

The best ingredient of a wine is the honesty of the producer.

…LISTEN TO ME, I WILL TELL YOU A STORY… (dad Franco)

The journey of a family united in life and in work, a journey which has begun long time ago. It was a time when we still patched up the same trousers and the smallest thing was enough to be happy. The only thing we expected was mutual honesty.
We are grateful for every day passed and every day to come, for every small success.
The gift of love gives birth to the passion which drives everything we are doing today.
The beginning of our company has weathered the ups and downs of life. We want to talk neither about our sacrifices, nor about hard times …
… we accept the adversity of fate to learn and we welcome good as a reward.
The forward step, the act of moving is our brand. This is our journey on our precious soil. The thread which had sewn our trousers’ patches has loosened through 4 generations and still goes on, forward and decisive.

My Song Selection: The song I have chosen to pair with Carlin de Paola Terre Alfieri Arneis DOC 2012 is Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran. If you don’t know Ed Sheeran I highly encourage you to get to know this young, talented English musician. He is crisp and refreshing just like the Arneis! In addition to this beautiful video I encourage you to check out his concert in Dublin available on YouTube. The boy has mad looping skills like I have never seen! He will be a household name before too long and his music pairs beautifully with this lovely wine.

Get your own bottle of Carlin de Paola Terre Alfieri Arneis DOC 2012 from Wine.com and let me know what song you would pair with it. Cheers!