This beautifully stylish and elegant Italian white is a blend of Vespaiolo and Garganega, which would appear to be very comfortable bedfellows on the evidence of this. The two grapes are vinified and matured separately, the Garganega spending 15 months in oak barrels, while the Vespaiolo is aged in stainless steel. This is just the sort of wine, that we would love a sommelier to recommend to us, when looking for something delicious and unusual on an intimidating wine list. It has the cutting, mineral edge that foodies love, as it brings a little dash to dishes without the sharpness of acidity. It has the wild aromas of a ‘natural wine’ without bringing all the funky baggage. It has the flinty and subtle struck match notes of great white Burgundy. It’s a maelstrom of energy, with a bright core of apples, lemons and frosty, winter fruits and a nervy acidity that drives the flavours across the palate and prepares you for your next sip... It’s a beautiful, elegant and thrilling wine. Organic. 13.5% alc. Drink now-2030.

NB You may have noticed this wine’s absence on our list for a few years, having previously been one of our all-time favourite white discoveries. Since the 2019 vintage, the winemaker has been playing around with the blend and ageing of the wine (both the containers and the duration). We weren’t as smitten with this “new” style as we had been with the previous vintages and our love for it waned a little. We explained our impressions to the winemaker, and it seems he has taken our comments into account. We are delighted to say that we think the wine is back on song with this 2022 vintage!  

Press Review (on the 2018, the previous vintage we shipped):

JancisRobinson.com: “I described the 2016 of this wine as vivid, restless, demanding. The 2017 as Machu Picchu; intense, fierce, massive, dramatic. The 2018 is different. It is still breath-taking. It still comes with a long, long spine of coruscating acidity, glittering with the crystalline, fractal complexity of hoar frost. It still carves the tongue with precision engineering, has a lensatic focus. But this vintage is more limpid. Kinder, somehow. There is a gentleness. The honeysuckle and apricots of the previous vintages have already unfurled, come forward, proffered a softer, let-me-lead-you-to-my-places hand. The 'golden' of the wine comes with a lime-sharp cast, but the golden is warm and the lime is simply etched poetry. It has this wonderful, soul-searching bitterness embroidered into the saline succulence of its sapidity. It is, quite frankly, impossible to have one glass of this wine. Unless you're made of stone. (TC) Very Good Value. Drink now-2028” 17.5 points

Customer comments on previous vintages:

“Delicious” - Mr S.O.

“I have to say… we are fully onboard with your enthusiasm here. This is a really great find! Such an incredible nose to it and it looks so unassuming in the bottle. I think we will be ordering a few more in short order.” - Mr D.C.

“Just opened one and it is outstanding, your marketing and tasting notes are spot on! Never heard of the grapes but the wine making is top drawer! Great find!” - Mr. P.W.

“That Il Pendio was so so good - I couldn't let it run out without grabbing a case.” - Mr A.T.

“I tried a bottle tonight - it was sensational!” - Mr V.G.

“I look forward to getting some more of this delicious wine on Friday. Superb stuff!” - Mr. R.W.

“Picked the Italian white to try with some risotto- very fine and elegant indeed.” - Mr M.B.

“We loved Pendio.” - Mr T.M.

“Just had some of the il Pendio 😁 smashing!” - Mr J.F.

“I’ve tried two bottles of the Il Pendioand I think it’s absolutely delicious!” - Mr J.H

”Lovely wine, quite flinty and buttery at the same time.” Mr. D.F.

”Thanks very much for letting me have some of this beautiful wine. If you get hold of some more I’d definitely buy more and would be keen to follow up with the next vintage.” - Mr. R.W.

“We loved the Il Pendio.....almost all gone now....do you have any more?” - Mr J.C.

”We opened the Il Pendio to accompany dinner and it was gone before the starter, sublime.” - Mr. G..O.

“We had another delicious Il Pendio last night. It really is a stonking wine.” - Mr T.M.

”I have to report back that it is superb. A little polite (and dairy) on the nose, but superb and food friendly chardonnay-esque flavour.” - Mr. R.G.

“I wanted to write to you to tell you how much I enjoyed my first bottle of Il Pendio. It is everything you claim for it and more, quite as good as a good Condrieu or Meursault at half the price.” - Mr I.G.

“That Il Pendio is excellent. Great find.” - Mr. A.P.