Luigi Baudana, Langhe Bianco ‘Dragon’ 2024

Luigi Baudana, Langhe Bianco 'Dragon' 2024 The 2024 Luigi Baudana 'Dragon' is a captivating, unique field blend consisting of 45% Chardonnay, 30% Nascetta, 20% Sauvignon Blanc, and 5% Riesling. Hailing from the prestigious Langhe DOC in Piedmont, Italy, the grapes are sourced from the Cerretta Piani vineyard in Serralunga d'Alba and the Ravera hill in Novello, where vines sit at elevations of 370 to 430 meters. The 2024 vintage was marked by a challenging start with late winter and April spring frosts, yet the resulting fruit showcases incredible resilience, drawing profound complexity from the ancient, 14-million-year-old Helvetian soils composed of Serravallian limestone and Tortonian sandstone. In the glass, this dry, medium-bodied white wine displays a brilliant, luminous light yellow color with a slightly viscous, creamy tear. The nose is highly aromatic and evocative, bursting with primary fruit notes of lemon curd, kiwi, and white peach, layered with secondary herbal hints of fresh mint and elderflower, alongside emerging tertiary notes of subtle almond and honeyed development. On the palate, energetic acidity frames a refreshing, structured flavor profile of ripe apricot, mango, and candied orange peel, culminating in a long, mouthwatering, and distinctly saline finish. The Vajra family, who took over the historic estate in 2009 to preserve Luigi and Fiorina Baudana's legacy, employs certified organic and sustainable farming practices, utilizing natural green turf and dry-farming techniques. In the cellar, the hand-harvested grapes undergo a gentle whole-cluster pressing followed by a cool, 15 to 20-day fermentation in stainless steel vats at temperatures below 16°C, after which the wine is aged on its fine lees in stainless steel until spring to preserve its vibrant, un-oaked purity. For food pairings, this crisp wine shines alongside grilled halibut topped with a citrus-herb butter, as its bright acidity cuts through the rich sauce; it also complements roasted butternut squash ravioli with sage brown butter, and pairs effortlessly with a classic Caesar salad with grilled chicken, where the wine's saline finish matches the briny anchovy dressing. Consistently earning scores in the 89-91 point range from critics like Robert Parker's Wine Advocate in recent vintages, the 'Dragon' remains an exceptional value, offering remarkable pedigree and relative affordability for a world-class Piedmontese white.