Scala Cirò Bianco 2019 Cirò, Calabria, Italy 75cl

The Scala family has farmed in Cirò on the Ionian coast of Calabria since the 1940s, and today Luigi Scala and his son Francesco make organic wines from the region’s native grapes. Cirò is one of Italy’s oldest denominations, first classified in 1969, and its wines carry a real sense of southern sunshine and history.

This white is pure Greco Bianco, an indigenous Calabrian variety grown on clay and sand a little inland from the sea, from vines certified organic. The grapes are fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel to protect their delicate aromatics, then held in tank for a few months before bottling, keeping the wine fresh, bright and unoaked.

The 2019 was made to be enjoyed for its freshness rather than cellared, showing the grape at its light, fragrant best. It is a wine that speaks of place more than power, and of a corner of Italy still overlooked by most drinkers.

Pale straw in the glass, it opens with white flowers, fresh citrus and a subtle herbal note. The palate is light-bodied and dry, gently textured, with a clean, refreshing finish. Serve it well chilled on a warm day, ideally outdoors with the sun on your back.

This is a wine for sunshine and seafood, at home with grilled fish, fried calamari, shellfish or a simple pasta with clams. It is unfussy but genuinely characterful, the sort of bottle that makes a lunch feel like a small holiday. If you like discovering lesser-known Mediterranean whites, Greco Bianco from Cirò is a rewarding find.