In the highest reaches of Vallee d’Aoste, growing on the slopes of Mont Blanc 1,200 meters above sea level, Ermes Pavese crafts expressive wines from just under 2 hectares of Prié Blanc. Ermes works with 50+ year old vines, untouched by phylloxera due to their remote location, to produce a racy, mineral-driven white wine with vivacity and length. The grapes are harvested by hand and aged in stainless steel for 9 months before bottling, resulting in a pure expression of Alpine terroir – with notes of white mountain flowers and delicate, fleshy pear. Medium-bodied with a streak of bright acidity, this wine is intensely fresh, rich with white pepper spice and persistent, steely minerality. A great aperitif or fish wine, we’d love this with lemon-roasted sole or some fontina cheese.