di Lenardo Vineyards Lis Maris Santa Pazienza Bianco 2008, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Bianco from the Venezia Giulia IGT.
I can report that I definitely got my money's worth (under $10) with this bottle.
Consumed with freshly made clam chowder and heavily stuffed kalamata olive ciabatta.
Massimo (Call me Max), owner and winemaker, has the right sense of direction here: this wine is clean and
bright and balanced, with the acidic and grassy-herbal Sauvignon balanced out and filled in with the softer, rounder, fleshier Pinot Bianco.
Sometimes, not always but sometimes, Sauvignon Blanc from Friuli-VG can be a bit shrill and overly lean (which I like, honestly, but not in the context of clam chowder and olive ciabatta on a slovenly Friday); this blend toned down the Sauvignon shrillness and brought out the richness and slight creaminess of the Pinot Bianco...which put it perfectly in tune with the chowder!
But the essential nature of the wine handled the milk and butter of the chowder to finish clean and strong and tart in the mouth, and it could stand up to the meaty, oily spice of the kalamata as well.