The Next New Thing-New Varietals ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/03/11/WIGMF5HCGP1.… ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, March 11, 2004 (SF Chronicle) International arrivals/Their names may be tough to pronounce, but these exotic varietals are worth getting to know Janet Fletcher, Chronicle Staff Writer If you thought you finally had a good grasp of wine, wait until you see what's coming. Thanks to importers determined to find the next new thing, Bay Area wine lists are now showcasing wines that virtually nobody knows. Lagrein, anyone? Monastrell? With Chardonnay eliciting yawns from shoppers and Burgundies out of reach, many wine merchants and sommeliers are seeking the stars of tomorrow and finding them in places like Austria, Spain and Sardinia. Garnering ever more space on retail shelves and wine lists are at least 10 emerging varieties that you probably don't know, but will. "They're more obscure in the name than in the flavor," says Shelley Lindgren, wine director at the new A16 restaurant in San Francisco, whose list is packed with up-and-comers like Aglianico and Fiano di Avellino. "We're getting wine from all over the world at really good prices now, and by learning them, you can actually save money." Many of these new arrivals, like Fiano, are in fact ancient grapes, vinified for centuries in their native regions, but little known beyond. Often the grapes were sold to the local co-op and blended into anonymity. But in modern times, more growers have realized the value of bottling their own wine. In Sicily, Argentina and elsewhere, international investment has helped wine industries modernize. And more growers are recognizing the heritage and potential in their native vines and resisting the pressure to replace them with "international" varieties like Merlot and Chardonnay. Italy, in particular, "is a treasure trove of lost grapes," says Joel Butler, a wine educator for Beaulieu Vineyards, and several of those treasures are being revived. As a result, Bay Area wine lovers are encountering a wave of mystifying varietals, most of them unheralded among collectors but worth getting to know. Many of these newcomers are the antithesis of the heavily oaked Chardonnays and monster Cabernets that have been fashionable in recent years. The whites, in particular, have little or no oak, relatively high acidity and "more intrinsic refreshment value," says Peter Granoff, proprietor of the Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant in San Francisco. "Maybe some of the interest in these varietals is a signal that people are actually sitting at the table and paying attention to how these wines react with food. Everybody knows these wines work better at the table." The following guide to 10 varietals whose reputations are on the rise should help you expand your own wine horizons. Aglianico A centuries-old grape, Aglianico (pronounced ah-lee-AH-nee-ko) derives its name from Ellenico or Hellenico, a clue that the Greeks brought it to Italy. Italian wine authority Burton Anderson believes the grape may have entered southern Italy as early as the seventh century B.C. In recent years, it got a boost when Mastroberardino, the largest wine producer in Campania, decided to resurrect some of the region's antique varieties. Of all the lesser-known Italian red varietals, Aglianico may be the most promising, experts say. "In regions like Taurasi, where it's at high elevation, it's the last ripening grape in all of Europe," says Lindgren. "It tends to have a nose of the Northern Rhone -- peppery and spicy -- with the body of Cabernet. To me, it's a gorgeous wine." Lindgren pours four Aglianicos by the glass at A16, including a pricey single-vineyard Taurasi from Antonio Caggiano. "I just want it to be experienced," she says. Claudio Villani, sommelier at Incanto in San Francisco, is another fan, convinced that the grape has aging potential. He features eight Aglianicos on his list, including the Caggiano. Caggiano is a young revolutionary who has built a modern cantina and overhauled outmoded vineyard practices. "From someone like Caggiano, Aglianico can be similar to Zinfandel, without the alcoholic, port-like side," says Rand Yazzolino, the winery's importer. "It has some of those sappy blueberry and plum notes, a lot of power and a ton of acidity and tannin." On its home ground, the wine partners the local Campanian cuisine. "They eat simple food, peasant food, and I say that as a compliment," says Yazzolino. "They make their own cheese and sausages, and eat an awful lot of polenta saturated with local oil. Aglianico can cut right through that." Albariño Spain and Portugal both grow this grape, whose name means "Rhine white." Did it come from Germany? No one knows, but documents suggest that German monks planted it in Spain's Galicia region as early as 1185. The grape's modern popularity dates from the late 1970s, when a handful of producers dedicated themselves to resurrecting the region's best, if not most productive, varieties. Officials awarded DO (controlled origin) status to Rias Baixas, the coastal area of Galicia where Albariño thrives, in 1987. Today, Albariño is Spain's celebrity white, much in demand and consequently high priced. It has proven so popular that it has all but displaced the region's other top crop: the kiwi. In Portugal, where it's named Alvarinho, the grape produces some of the best Vinho Verde, a high-acid wine intended to be drunk young. In general, Albariños should be consumed within a year or two of the vintage, before they lose their lively freshness. "I love them," says Andy Booth, wine buyer at Berkeley's Spanish Table. "They're bright and crisp, and you want to keep drinking them." Fiano Another ancient grape that owes its current fame to Mastroberardino, the Campania producer that revived and promoted it, Fiano has risen to prominence only in the last 20 years. The grapes have always been there, says Yazzolino, but they were blended into lesser wines. Bottled on its own, Fiano has amply proven its merits. "I think it's spectacular," says Gerald Weisl of Weimax Wines & Spirits in Burlingame. "It tastes good. It's not hard to pronounce. It costs a fair price. It just works." Americans aren't the only ones falling for this aromatic white. Along with Greco di Tufo, another Campanian white, it's the rage in northern Italy, says Yazzolino. When he visits northern producers, they always ask him to bring some Fiano. "What's happening now is the same as what happened in Piedmont and Burgundy," says the importer. "Growers have stopped selling (Fiano) to the negociant or the coop, and they're competing with each other to bring the quality up." Fiano di Avellino is a newly approved DOCG, the highest classification in Italy. Fianos made outside the approved zone are labeled simply Fiano and can be excellent. "The Fianos I like have a Riesling character," says Yazzolino. "The best ones finish very bright and crisp. Some people barrel ferment, but I'm not a fan of that." Grüner Veltliner If any wine is the newbie darling of the sommelier set, it is Grüner Veltliner -- a mouthful of a name that its fans often shorten to GruVe (as in groovy). Austria's most widely planted grape produces an aromatic white wine that can range from light and brisk to as ripe and richly layered as white Burgundy. When slipped into white Burgundy tastings, Grüner Veltliner often lands on top. Many credit the varietal's current prominence to Terry Theise, an East Coast importer who began promoting the wine a decade ago. Sommeliers quickly embraced it, finding it more versatile with food -- especially with the Asian flavors that mark contemporary menus -- than Chardonnay. "We got the really hip restaurants interested," says Berkeley's Bill Mayer, who sells Theise wines to mailing-list customers. "When Chez Panisse says, 'This wine goes really well with our food,' that filters down." Several San Francisco restaurants -- among them, the House, Slanted Door and Bacar -- have been avid Grüner Veltliner boosters. Theise likes to claim that the varietal complements foods that usually challenge wine, such as artichokes, asparagus and avocado. Certainly its firm acidity is food friendly, and those producers who use oak or leave a little residual sugar understand restraint. "We stock and sell a lot of (Grüner Veltliner)," says Granoff, the wine merchant. "They're exciting wines that don't taste quite like anything else. And they're available at a variety of price points -- from $12 to $15 up to the range of premier cru white Burgundy, and every bit as complex." Lagrein On the face of it, it's surprising that Italy's cool Alto Adige, a region famous for its white wines, could produce an inky-black, concentrated red wine like Lagrein. But the valley floor around Bolzano where Lagrein does best offers a peculiar microclimate. Surrounded by the Alps, it is one of the hottest winegrowing regions of Italy, says Brian Larky, a Napa importer of Italian wines. If Lagrein is so good, where has it been all these years? "The problem I've had with producers is that quantities are minuscule," says Oliver McCrum, an Oakland importer, "and there are tons of locals, Austrians and Germans who come to buy it directly." McCrum says he has managed to import it steadily only within the past year. Most winegrowing families in the Alto Adige have only an acre or two of vines, not enough to make their own wine. Consequently, many grow their grapes indifferently, often overcropping them, and sell them to the co-op. "There are not a lot of independent voices in the Alto Adige," says Larky. But even Lagrein is benefiting from Italy's renewed devotion to its viticultural roots. "People are starting to pay attention to (Lagrein) and treasure it," says Weisl. "There are a lot of interesting, big wines coming from that grape now that people have cut the crop back to normal." A well-made Lagrein exhibits astonishing color; an intense perfume that may suggest blackberries, tea leaves or licorice; a rich mouth-feel and remarkably soft tannins. "It's a neat combination of richness and intensity without being sharp," says Butler, the wine educator and a Lagrein fan. A handful of California producers, including Whitcraft, Mosby and Santa Barbara Winery on the Central Coast and Beaulieu Vineyards in Napa Valley, have been making Lagrein from grapes grown on the Central Coast. However, the federal government does not recognize Lagrein as a legal American variety, so Beaulieu is petitioning to get the grape approved. Until then, it can't be shipped out of state. Monastrell "The wine that people have come back and bought bottles and bottles of is Monastrell," says Booth of the Spanish Table. This native Spanish varietal, known as Mourvedre in southern France, is Spain's second most-planted red grape after Garnacha. In the Jumilla region, where it performs best, it is planted on sandy soil and never succumbed to the phylloxera that devastated European viticulture in the late 1800s. (Phylloxera, a root-eating louse, doesn't spread well in sandy soil.) France's Mourvedre growers replanted their dying vineyards with Monastrell from Spain, and Jumilla still claims some pre- phylloxera vines. Monastrell produces a rich, dark, concentrated wine that has long been blended into lesser Spanish wines to add strength and character. Today, more producers are showcasing Monastrell, identifying it on the label and blending it with premium varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo and Syrah. Booth estimates that about 75 percent of this upscale Monastrell is exported, much of it to the United States. "It's being made more for the American palate," says the merchant. "It's a little more fruit-forward as opposed to Rioja, with stronger tannins." Compared to France's Mourvedre, used in many wines from Provence and the Languedoc, the Spanish version is riper, more extracted, with fuller fruit and a tarry character on the nose, says Booth, and at $10 to $15 a bottle, it's a great value. Nero d'Avola This Sicilian grape's renaissance is so recent that it isn't even mentioned in Burton Anderson's Wine Atlas of Italy, published in 1991. Today, Nero d'Avola is recognized as Sicily's premier red grape, thanks to forward- thinking producers such as Cusumano and Planeta, who are giving it modern treatment. You can still find old-school versions, like Morgante's Don Antonio, that are long on tannin and short on fruit, but the modern style is livelier and fresher. "It has that spice-cabinet quality, with cardamom and clove," says Lindgren. "It can be a bright, full-bodied wine, or you can choose a really rustic style with more of that stewed-fruit flavor, like a chocolate-covered cherry." International investors have transformed Sicily's wine industry in recent years and renewed consumer interest in indigenous grapes like Nero d'Avola. Often blended with other Sicilian varietals -- and increasingly with prestige varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah -- it can happily stand alone. "It's all black fruit, spice, smoke and warmth," says Villani, who offers three Nero d'Avola bottlings and a Nero d'Avola/Syrah blend on his Incanto list. Torrontes Argentina is better known for its red wines these days, but the country makes a white that is up-and-coming: the intensely perfumed Torrontes (pronounced tor-ron-TEZ). Perhaps it's a stretch to claim that the variety has found a following -- wine shops don't routinely stock it -- but those who do sell it love it. "It has this wonderful aromatic component," says Granoff. "It's vaguely like Muscat but a little more herbaceous -- definitely on the floral end of the spectrum." The aromas that waft from a glass of Torrontes can be almost overwhelming, so profusely scented with rose that it calls to mind bath soap. The wines tend to be fresh, youthful, crisp and unoaked, ideal qualities for an aperitif. "It's great at the beginning of a meal," confirms Johnny Alamilla, who has two Torrontes on the wine list at his San Francisco restaurant Alma. "It holds up well with ceviche and salads and prepares the palate for the next course. When people ask for Sauvignon Blanc or Viognier, that's when we steer them to Torrontes." Verdejo Marques de Riscal, the important Rioja producer, launched the modern era for Verdejo in the 1970s by introducing a dry, fresh white wine made from Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc. Until then, most white wines from the Rueda -- where Verdejo is native -- had been made like sherry and were dark and oxidized. "If the wines were fresh, people didn't like them," says Darrell Corti, the Sacramento wine and food merchant. Riscal's success persuaded other growers to plant more Verdejo and vinify the wine in modern fashion, emphasizing youth and fruit. Verdejo today is one of the world's true white-wine bargains. "We're looking at $9 to $12 a bottle, and they're great," says Booth. Earlier versions were often monotone and austere, says Dawes, but producers have refined the style in the last four or five years. "(Verdejos) have a fruitiness they didn't have before and are much more delicious," says the writer. "They're becoming a white wine force in Spain, rivaling Albariño." Corti describes the wines as "like Viognier but less ponderous." The wine is versatile at the table, fitting in where Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay might go. "It goes with serious foods as well," says Dawes. "I'd put the Martinsancho (Verdejo) with some really good stuff." Vermentino With its brisk, zesty flavors and seductive aromas, Vermentino from Sardinia is finding a niche on local menus as a seafood wine. At A16, Lindgren recommends it with littleneck clams with marinated cauliflower and potatoes. "It's very cleansing," says the wine buyer. The best Vermentino comes from the island's relatively cool northern region of Gallura, where it yields wines with acidity and fragrance. Vermentino di Gallura is a DOCG, Italy's top quality category. "Modern fermentation technology is making a big difference with a grape like Vermentino," says Granoff. "It seems to have a lot of intrinsic character when it's vinified properly and not overcropped. What's getting people's attention is that there's actually some personality there." The grape's growing stature has caught the eye of some New World winemakers. "If I were to pick a grape to make a really characterful dry white wine in California, (Vermentino) would be one of the first things I'd pick," says Steve Edmunds of Edmunds St. John winery in Berkeley. "It holds its acidity really well and can grow in reasonably warm places and still make interesting wine. It doesn't like oak that much, but I don't either." A taste of things to come Here are some producers, bottles and and tasting notes to get you started Aglianico Where it thrives: Campania and Basilicata regions of southern Italy. Within Campania, Taurasi is the premier zone. In Basilicata, the top area is Vulture. Aglianico del Vulture often beats its Campania counterpart in price and surpasses it in quality, claims Caggiano winery importer Rand Yazzolino. Character: Good color, firm tannins, power and robust, ripe fruit. In lesser hands, the wine can be rough and rustic, with raisined or over-ripe fruit flavors and excessive tannin. From top producers, the wine is reminiscent of Syrah, with spice aromas and aging potential. Producers to look for: Cantine Antonio Caggiano, Feudi di San Gregorio, Villa Raiano Bottles of note: 2001 Feudi di San Gregorio Rubrato Aglianico ($17) -- A pretty perfume with a faint herbaceous note; pleasing balance of fruit and oak; great value. 1998 Cantine Antonio Caggiano Vigna Macchia dei Goti Taurasi Aglianico ($35) -- An elegant wine with lovely aromas of spice and dried fruit; flavors are ripe and concentrated, yet balanced. Plentiful tannins are well integrated with the fruit. Food affinities: Grilled lamb, sausages, polenta, beef with rosemary, braised meats, pizza. AlbariÑo Where it thrives: The Rias Baixas region of Galicia in far northwestern Spain, near the Portuguese border; also northern Portugal. Havens, a Napa Valley producer, makes an acclaimed Albarino from grapes grown in Carneros. Character: The steely minerality of Sauvignon Blanc but with a little more weight; high in acid; refreshing; tropical fruit and citrus aromas; medium bodied; typically unoaked. Producers to look for: Bodega Castro Martin, Pazo de Senorans, Quinta do Dorado Bottles of note: 2001 Quinta do Dorado Alvarinho ($19.50) -- Appealing creamy texture; fresh, clean aromas and flavors of pineapple and peach 2002 Bodega Castro Martin Rias Baixas Albarino ($19.50) -- Pineapple, lemon and tropical fruit flavors; good acidity and a crisp finish Food affinities: In Spain, Albarino's nickname is el vino del mar (the wine of the sea) because of its compatibility with seafood, especially shellfish. Drink with crab, mussels, scallops, clams and oysters. Lindgren recommends it with high- acid foods, such as those dressed with vinaigrette. Fiano Where it thrives: In the Campania region of southern Italy, around the town of Avellino. Character: A medium- to full-bodied wine with aromas of licorice, fennel and lemon; flavors are bright, fresh and high acid, often with a honeyed note. The texture tends to be relatively silky, rounded and oily. "It smells similar to a Viognier," says Lindgren, "but without the alcohol that Viognier gets." Producers to look for: Eudi di San GregorioI, Favati, Terredora, Villa Raiano Bottles of note: 2002 I Favati Pietramara Fiano di Avellino ($18) -- Pretty but subtle aromas of honey and licorice; silky, substantial texture. 2002 Villa Raiano Fiano di Avellino ($24) -- More herbaceous than fruity, with the signature fennel aroma; snappy lemony flavors and good acidity. Food affinities: Grilled bay scallops; grilled or fried fish; antipasto of cured meats; pizza bianca (without tomato) Grüner Veltliner. Gruner Veltliner Where it thrives: Austria, particularly the Wachau, Kremstal and Kamptal regions. Character: Ranges from bone dry to late-harvest sweet, from crisp and simple to rich and powerful; high acid; aromas can be faintly herbaceous, often peppery; flavors can be light and lemony or ripe, complex and rounded. "If Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc had a baby, it would be Gruner Veltliner, " writes Theise. Producers to look for: Brundlmeyer, Domaine Wachau, Glatzer, Malat, Nigl, Schmelz Bottles of note: 2002 Pfaffl Zeiseneck Gruner Veltliner ($14.95) -- Exhibits richness and intensity without being heavy. Finely balanced, rounded and smooth on the palate. Pleasing aromas that suggest browned butter. Pour with scallops or other rich seafood. 2002 Brundlmayer Berg-Vogelsang Gruner Veltliner ($13, 350 ml) -- A superb wine, showing some botrytis on the nose and remarkable depth of flavor. Smooth, silky texture, with layer after layer of honeyed fruit. 2002 Malat Dreigarten Gruner Veltliner ($29.90) -- Highly aromatic, ripe and fruity, with appealing viscosity and some tropical notes on the nose. A touch of botrytis adds complexity but the finish is dry. 2002 Schmelz Pichl Point Gruner Veltliner ($38.50) -- A world-class wine of pure elegance and refinement. An inviting perfume of fruit and flowers, abundant extract and a dry, white-pepper finish. Food affinities: Slanted Door-style Vietnamese fare; cured meats; prosciutto and melon; schnitzel; washed-rind cheese. Lagrein Where it thrives: the Alto Adige and Trentino regions of northeastern Italy. Character: Inky color; bright, concentrated, wild blackberry-like fruit; firm acidity; and surprisingly soft tannins. The finish is short and occasionally a little bitter. Producers to look for: Alois Lageder, Bottega Vinaia, Cantina Convento Muri-Gries Bottles of note: 2001 Cantina Convento Muri-Gries Muri Lagrein ($12.50) -- Inky color. A charming, juicy wine with an enticing blackberry perfume and lots of sweet fruit. Aromas are reminiscent of Beaujolais. 2000 Bottega Vinaia Trentino Lagrein ($20.50) -- Highly perfumed with red-fruit aromas; a serious, fruit-driven wine, combining intensity with vivacity. 1999 Alois Lageder Lagrein Lindenburg ($25) -- A single-vineyard wine from a highly respected producer. Lighter in color and intensity than most Lagreins, with bright fruit and candied raspberry-cherry aromas. 1999 Cantina Convento Muri-Gries Abtei Muri Lagrein Riserva ($30) -- Black as night. Pleasant aromas of blackberry, mint, licorice and cassis, with considerable fruit intensity on the palate and good acidity. Very ripe. Food affinities: Lamb, hearty game dishes, braised meats. Monastrell Where it thrives: In the Jumilla and Yecla regions of Spain, although it is widely planted throughout the country. Character: Dark, ripe and concentrated, with notes of blackberry, spice and tar; can be chewy and tannic but the best ones balance tannin with fruit. Producers to look for: Altos de Luzon, Bodegas Castano Bottles of note: 2001 Altos de Luzon Jumilla Monastrell ($16) -- Deep color and inviting aromas of plum, blackberry and spice. Great depth of fruit on the palate, with firm tannins and acidity. Intense without being tiresome. A good candidate for aging. A blend of 50 percent Monastrell, 25 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 25 percent Tempranillo. Food affinities: Roasted and grilled red meats; aged cheeses -- "anything a mid-range California Cabernet or Merlot might go with," says Gerry Dawes, a New York wine writer and Spanish wine authority, "but casual foods rather than elegant foods." Nero d'Avola Where it thrives: Sicily Character: Warmth and intensity without excessive ripeness or heavy tannins; spice, blackberry, coffee and chocolate are common flavor and aroma notes. "The character is all over the map," says Weisl, "depending on whether people are trying to make Cabernet out of it or something fruity and bright." Producers to look for: Cos, Cusumano, Morgante, Planeta Bottles of note: 2001 Feudo Arancio Nero d'Avola ($9.50) -- Grapey, Beaujolais-like nose with lots of fruit on the palate. A lighter style, but not a lightweight. 2002 Cusumano Nadaria Nero d'Avola ($10) -- The nose offers dark cherry, raspberry and hints of coffee. Medium weight and intensity with good acidity. A lighter, fruitier style than many others. Great value. 2002 Donnafugata Sedara ($12.99) -- A vigorous wine of admirable intensity, but not overpowering. Flavors and aromas hint of raspberry and chocolate. A versatile table wine and a bargain. 2002 Morgante Nero d'Avola ($15.50) -- Pretty aromas of plum, berry and dark cherry, with restrained tannins. An approachable, easy to drink wine. 2001 Zenner Terra delle Sirene ($24) -- A lovely, well-knit wine with an intriguing, gently herbaceous nose, good depth and warm, spicy, dried-fruit flavors. Food affinities: Roast chicken; grilled beef or lamb; pasta with meat sauce; stuffed veal breast; pork roast with sage and rosemary. Torrontes Where it thrives: Argentina, especially in the provinces of Mendoza, La Rioja and Salta. Character: Often compared to Muscat, Torrontes has a powerful scent of rose petals and peaches. The flavors are likewise floral with varying degrees of tropical fruit. When well made, the wine has texture and intensity. Producers to look for: Susana Balbo, Michel Torino, La Yunta Bottles of note: 2003 Crios de Susana Balbo Cafayate Torrontes ($15) -- Highly scented with rose petals; much more floral than fruity. Rich flavors of peach and rose, with good body. 2002 La Yunta Famatina Valley Torrontes ($9) -- Very pale and crystal clear; strong floral fragrances with some tropical notes. Light, simple and fresh, with some residual sugar and a slightly bitter finish. Food affinities: Smoked fish, salads with fruit, cold soups, ceviche. Verdejo Where it thrives: Spain's Rueda region, northwest of Madrid. Character: Pineapple and lime aromas, with some Sauvignon Blanc-like herbaceousness; light and refreshing; dry and generally unoaked. Producers to look for: Blanco Nieva, Bodegas Angel Rodriguez Bottles of note: 2001 Blanco Nieva Verdejo ($12) -- Highly fragrant and deeply fruity. Pineapple and a grassy herbaceousness are the dominant notes. 2001 Bodegas Angel Rodriguez Martinsancho Verdejo ($16) -- A more restrained style, with flavors similar to the Blanco Nieva but dialed way down. No jarring notes here, just a subtle, lovely, sippable white wine. Food affinities: Seafood, including richer types such as salt cod, shrimp, scallops and salmon; vegetable-based dishes; cold cuts such as Spanish chorizo. Vermentino Where it thrives: Sardinia, especially the Gallura area in the north. In France, the grape is known as Rolle and planted in Provence and the Languedoc. Character: Aromatic, with hints of peach and melon; bright, fresh flavors and a cleansing finish with a faintly bitter aftertaste; usually unoaked. Producers to look for: Canayli, Piero Mancini, Sella & Mosca Bottles of note: 2002 Canayli Vermentino di Gallura ($16) -- Huge fragrance and loads of personality; aromas of melon, pear and lime, with lots of anise and lime on the palate; zippy acidity with enough richness to make it interesting. 2002 Piero Mancini Vermentino di Gallura ($12) -- Pleasant quaffing wine; on the light side, but clean, fresh and easy to drink. 2002 Sella & Mosca La Cala Vermentino di Sardegna ($11.49) -- Fresh, appealing aromas of flowers and fruit, especially pineapple. Displays some richness without being weighty; finishes crisp with a touch of bitterness. Food affinities: Pasta with sardines; steamed clams or mussels; shrimp salad; spring vegetable dishes. -- Janet Fletcher Janet Fletcher is a Chronicle staff writer. E-mail her at wine(a)sfchronicle.com. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2004 SF Chronicle