It's always exciting to try an obscure grape. Fabrizio Iuli saved Baratuciat from extinction and now grows it in a tiny village in Piedmont's northern edge of the Monferrato subregion. Meaning "cat testicles" in the local dialect, this small oval varietal yields a golden, unfiltered white wine with flavors of pears, lemon curd, and minerals. Fermented and aged in concrete and cement, Barat is clean yet complex and thoroughly approachable as an aperitif or paired with antipasto, white meat, and gnocchi in cream, butter, and cheese sauces.
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