You wouldn’t think the noble Nebbiolo vineyards of Monforte d’Alba, right in the heart of the Barolo growing zone, would also be known for producing something as prosaic as Chardonnay…..but they are! The limestone and clay marls here in these vineyards are very much reminiscent of those in Burgundy and aspects and exposures are, perhaps, even better. One of the best Chards in all of Italy (maybe the world), for example, grows at the highest point of the Bussia cru in Monforte and is bottled by Aldo Conterno. This powerhouse of a wine costs close to a $100 a bottle and is, in the best of times, almost impossible to get. Right down the other side of the hill, in the middle of the equally famous Ginestra cru, is another planting of great Chardonnay, albeit farmed for a little less intensity, concentration and power. It belongs to the Grasso family. It was father Elio who first planted the Chardonnay back in the mid-nineteen eighties because, he says, he thought by planting an earlier to ripen white, he could learn something more about his vineyards in order to help him better farm his Nebbiolo. Besides, he laughs, the ol’ man really loves drinking Chardonnay.

Elio called the wine he made from these vines Educato in honor of the education he hoped to gain from his little experiment. Now in the hands of his son, Gianluca, Educato continues to be far more than a vineyard experiment and an adjunct to Grasso’s world-famous Barolos. In fact, as time as gone on, its miniscule 7000-bottle production has become about as allocated as the famous Grasso Barolos as the quality of this relatively inexpensive, great-drinking Chardonnay is no longer a secret. Educato is all Chardonnay- fermented in French oak barriques and aged seven months. Unlike Conterno’s aforementioned Bussia d’Or, Gianluca eschews lees stirring in the barrel as his goal is to focus on pure fruit rather than the extra weight and grainy texture that process can impart. The resulting wine is bright and fresh with fresh apple fruit that barely hints of the tropical- the tiniest hint of pineapple, perhaps. The 2022 also shows a dash of lime or, if there were such a thing, lime custard. So delicious! Mid-weight and quite elegant on the palate, its best French correlate would be, I think, Pouilly-Fuisse, thanks to that wonderful mineral finish and lively mouthfeel. Ready to go when you are, it’s a proven winner alongside a wide variety of poultry dishes, scallops, crab and even a nicely grilled pork chop! 7000 bottles produced and we get 60. It’s still a fine deal!