Marco Porello, Roero Arneis (Piedmont, Italy) 2021

 This is a modest but impeccable family winery run by modest people — who make pure, delicious wines.  Some Favorita and Barbera are made here, but I was only shown wines made from Arneis and Nebbiolo, which suited me just fine.  I can’t fail to select this wine for featuring in light of the fact that I purchased a full case of it online from a USA-retailer while still working in Roero.  It shows very appealing floral topnotes without being overly flowery or sweet-smelling, and though finished with zero residual sugar, it is also quite substantial in palate weight — but still fresh with zesty acidity.  Saline mineral notes are already emerging, and the wine is even better now than when I tasted it in May.  Marco told me that this usually hits its stride in September of the year following the harvest, and that proved to be precisely correct.  He is extremely clear in his objectives regarding the wines he makes, and the wines speak to his skill in actualizing those objectives.