In March of 2021 we had a declassified Prosecco Rose that was called Alice, but there is no relation to this bottling from the Produtorri di Manduria in Puglia. In the case of the Prosecco the name of the wine was in reference to the winemaker’s grandmother, while here it is the word for fresh anchovy. Verdeca is the native white grape of Puglia, whose culinary and cultural customs are far more influenced by its Greek roots than Italian, so its fitting that Verdeca has recently been shown to be identical to the Greek varietal Lagorthi. Verdeca was long used as the base of Vermouth and Puglia is so well-suited to grape growing that it makes sense that bulk wine would initially be the focus there, but as more modern farming techniques achieved higher yields and higher quality around the world, the focus had to be reoriented to higher quality. Verdeca has been demonstrated to make quality wine when yields are limited and farming is skillful. These certified sustainably farmed grapes produce flavors of perfectly ripe pear, honeydew, grapefruit, white flowers and tarragon. Verdeca’s ability to retain acidity balances the ample body and touch of leesy creaminess. Simple yet profound, intense yet elegant, the long finish ends on a gravelly, mineral note. It would, of course, be perfect with what you would eat on a beach in Puglia; fresh anchovies with olive oil and lemon, grilled shellfish, crusty bread, or cherry tomatoes with capers and cheese on orecchiette.