2015 Giovanni Almondo Roero Arneis DOCG Bricco delle Ciliegie 750 ml

Bricco delle Ciliegie at Central Park South

Bricco delle Ciliegie

It’s Piedmont’s most coveted white. The best versions are wonderfully crisp and refreshing, infused with citronelle, honeysuckle, and a hint of almond — the perfect match for gnocchi, fresh-pressed olive oil, and aged Reggiano. Bruno Giacosa makes a good one, as do Vietti and Matteo Correggia. But ask any of Barolo’s brightest stars or any serious sommelier from NYC to Milan and you’ll hear the same thing: No Arneis holds a candle to Domenico Almondo’s Bricco delle Ciliegie.

We first met Domenico in 2007 on the sandy hillsides of Roero. The maker of Piedmont’s most ethereal white sported a dark tractor-tan. Domenico spent two hours with us, most of it walking the rows of “Ciliegie,” often dipping down on both knees, scooping soil into his palms, allowing fine sandy clay to sift through his fingers.

When the cold-pressed olio was drizzled over the handmade tortelloni and the first bottle of 2002 Ciliegie uncorked, we were elated, figuring we’d quickly cracked the toughest nut in Roero. But as we’d learn over espresso and bite-sized chunks of bitter chocolate, we were way off base. Domenico’s dinner invitation was heartfelt, but it was also a gracious apology. Every bottle of Bricco delle Ciliegie had been allocated well before release. “Come back next year,” Almondo said hopefully. “Maybe something changes?”

In late 2008, something changed. We caught a break when the wheels fell off Wall Street, and one of Almondo’s American importers bit the dust. In early spring, over lunch in Roero, Domenico offered WineAccess 100 cases of the 2007 Bricco delle Ciliegie, adding with a big smile, “After Marea, Del Posto, and Otto, WineAccess comes first!”

For those of you who were quick to hop on the Ciliegie bandwagon in the early years, you know what came next. Rave reviews from Parker, Galloni, and Tanzer primed the pump. Each year, our hundred-case allocation disappeared in a nanosecond. Buyers not only showered WineAccess with 4- and 5-star ratings, but with requests for more. Member services struggled to keep the waiting list at bay. Nearly all were disappointed, trumped by increasing demand from NYC’s finest trattorias and ristorantes.

If you’re spending a weekend in New York, do as so many lovers of world-class cucina Italiana do: Take an Uber to Central Park South. Grab a seat at Marea’s bar. Order small plates — Special Reserve Ossetra Caviar, Pacific Snapper Crudo with prosciutto and celery, the Fusilli pasta with braised octopus, and of course, the wild mushroom risotto. Then order a bottle of the finest Bricco delle Ciliegie ever made, the vibrant 2015. $300 later, almost satiated, you’ll feel like a million bucks!

Domenico Almondo believes the 2015 Bricco delle Ciliegie Arneis is his most extraordinary to date. We concur. Pale straw-green in color, with piercing aromas of honeysuckle, roasted almonds, ripe citrus, and anise — the aromas alone are well worth the price of admission. Unusually rich, broad, and weighty on the attack. Filled with an exotic mix of ripe lemon/lime, apple, ripe pear, and quince. Despite all the opulence of what’s already being called the finest vintage since 2010 in northern Italy, finishing with bracing acidity and high-tension persistence.

About $100/bottle at Marea. $32 if you can find it in retail shops. $21 for a couple hours this morning here on WineAccess. Shipping included on 6.