The joy of finding an exuberant, well-made wine in the sub-$12 range is increasingly rare, which makes this discovery all the more enjoyable. From a sourcing standpoint, it could probably be called Soave, but the curious, wild card addition of chardonnay does three things: forces the labeling to reflect the grapes rather than the place, thereby helping to keep the price down, and, surprisingly, elevates the garganega with some oomph. Look for liveliness, bright white pear fruit, extroverted magnolia and jasmine aromatics, and lip-smacking, energetic acidity. If the weather's got you down, this could be the antidote to your autumnal blahs. Bonus: just 12.5% ABV.
