And now for something completely different!  Leave it to Italy to come up with yet another novel grape variety to tempt our taste buds and expand our repertoire of fascinating Italian wines.  I am speaking of Nascetta (nah-shetta), a unique and delicious white wine variety local to the northern reaches of the Novello district in the heart of the Barolo wine producing area of Piemonte.  Nascetta actually has a very long history in the region with references going back as far as 1877 but, for most of its life, it has been produced as a sweet wine and typically served at Catholic Mass. Unfortunately, as the popularity of red wines in the Langhe grew after the war and Nascetta’s notorious finickiness in the vineyard outweighed its commercial viability, it fell into disfavor.  The variety was nearly extinct until Elvio Cogno, the most important grower in Novello, re-discovered its inherent qualities as a dry, aromatic table wine.  This was only back in 1994.  Though its fortunes have since taken a turn for the better, there are still only 20-ish hectares of Nascetta planted in the entire Langhe region, most concentrated in the commune of Novello where it first earned a DOC as a dry white.  It’s a bit difficult to describe the characteristics of Nascetta because there are so few versions on the market, but it definitely has an exotic appeal; tropical fruits, honey, beeswax, spring blossoms are just a few of the descriptors that come to mind.  But it’s not heavy at all.  It’s sort of Riesling-like in its elegance and inherent minerality.  Others equate it with a young Vouvray Sec made from Chenin Blanc.  You simply have to experience it for yourself and find your own way to describe this unique and wonderful white.  Delicious to drink on its own, it is unparalleled as a food wine.  In Italy, I had it with some earthy braised Lumache (snails) and it was a magnificent combination.  With richer dishes like smoked trout, vitello tonnato and a platter of salami, it is very much at home.  And it’s delicious on its own.  My pick as the wine of the moment as we slide into summer.  Great price too!