Elvio, 2008 Cogno Anas-Cetta (No. Italian White Wine)

A rich, mouth-filling white wine you can serve to your red-wine loving friends who want a more refreshing beverage during the dog days of summer!

In seeking wines for my wine club members, I don't select many imported wines. American wine lovers have palates shaped by the wines we drink, and in most cases, that means the rich, ripe and fruity wines of California, the icons of "The New World Style".

But part of my job as a wine merchant entrusted with aiding and abetting your new wine discoveries, is the task of carefully selecting wines such as this gem from Northern Italy.

Look for intriguing fruit and citrus notes followed immediately by the minerality so many wine makers spend their lifetimes seeking from their vineyards. Now imagine that flavor combination with shellfish or grilled fish and vegetables - heaven. I recently served this wine with a dinner of linguine, shrimp and scallops, with sauteed tomatoes, garlic, scallions and cilantro (flat leaf parsley was out of stock!) and it was pure heaven. Just use a half cup each of the wine and chicken stock to deglaze the pan before adding back the pasta, and you're golden. Serve with a touch of grated Parmesan and you'll be a hero - total preparation time = 40 minutes.