2016 Gramona Gessamí Cuvée Selection Penedès

I expected this Penedès white to be a blend the usual (local) suspects: Xarel•lo, Macabeu, Parellada, maybe Chardonnay. But it’s actually about half (decidedly non-local) Sauvignon Blanc, mixed with Muscat (both Alexandria and Frontignan) and—wait for it—Gewürztraminer. The fruit is certified organically grown in clay-limestone soils, hand harvested and tank fermented. The wine aged for three months prior to release.

It’s an aromatic wine, the fragrance mingling Muscat’s florality and Sauvignon’s green-citrus topicality. It is not a musky wine, but it does have a touch of reduction that reads like flint or steel. The palate is weighty, coating but not cloying, and the finish is a pointed blade of acidity. Admirably only 11% alcohol, it’s good as an aperitif with charcuterie and cheeses. Try it also with light-fleshed fish (especially raw or acid-marinated) or salads.