The best wine you probably never had. Farming at the Northern end of Piedmont, Ferrando Carema is the consummate insider's wine. So esteemed by his equally esteemed importer Neal Rosenthal, Carema is Rosenthal's single favorite wine in the entire world. Words like "breathaking" "elegant" and "graceful" are bandied about so often that you can be immune when they are so richly deserved. But Carema is the real deal and the benchmark for Alpine nebbiolo. Ferrando Carema Etichetta Bianca is the most gorgeous expression of Nebbiolo in existence and the 2015 is a future legend. Fans of this tiny appellation know that there is nothing else quite like it. Nestled on terraces above the small village of Carema, in the shadows of Monte Bianco, the mere 17 hectares of vineyards that comprise the appellation are just about the most northern climate for the Nebbiolo grape. With its mouthwatering acidity, its sumptuously velvety texture, its panoply of spices, and its eerily pure fruit, it embodies what makes Carema so special, yet with a bit more authority and power than in a more typical vintage. Made from Nebbiolo grapes harvested around the 20th of October, fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats, with maceration on the skins for about 10 days. In conformity with the production regulations, refinement lasts 36 months, 30 of which in oak barrels. With an intense color, and a tannic and spicy mouthfeel, this one is perfect with beef, braised meats, game, and mature cheeses.