The impressive 2006 Arneis Honea Vineyard nearly matches what I consider the best Arneis wine made in the world, that from the famed Barolo/Barbaresco producer, Bruno Giacosa. Palmina’s beautiful Arneis offers attractive notes of green apples, honey, citrus blossom, fresh flowers, and a touch of wet stones. Palmina’s white wines stand alone as California’s most brilliant examples of stainless steel fermented and aged, crisp, Italian-inspired dry whites. What proprietors Crystal and Steve Clifton have achieved with these efforts is amazing. As good as the reds are, they are a few steps behind the overall quality of the whites. Yet I suspect, given Clifton’s talent and his meticulous approach to vineyard management and winemaking, the reds will ultimately catch up to the whites.The white wines are all crisp, dry, wonderfully aromatic, light to medium-bodied efforts with considerable personalities. They are meant to be consumed during their first 12-24 months of life, so purchasers should not hold on to them too long as virtually all of their charm comes from their ebullient aromatics and zesty, fruit-driven flavors.If you haven’t yet discovered Palmina, these are very impressive Italian-inspired wines from one of California’s most brilliant winemakers.Tel. (805) 735-2030; Fax (805) 735-2693
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