Chiussuma is a waterfall near the mountain town of Carema, perched on the side of an Alp at the mouth of the Vallee d’Aosta. It is also a winery in Carema, the only new producer in this tiny wine region for a generation, and the source of some spectacularly interesting wine. This part of Piedmont is home to one of the most interesting white wines in Italy, the Erbaluce di Caluso. It is a relative rarity, spread over the foothills south of the extremely northern city of Ivrea. It’s a thick skinned variety that’s used to the relative cold of this part of Piedmont, so even relatively basic versions of Erbaluce have more structure and flavor than usual, but this is not a basic version, this is a master-class. Fermentation is slow, to maximize the interplay between those thick skins and the juice inside, before the wine is aged in stainless steel to preserve every note of the aromatic kaleidoscope. Lemon pepper, honey roasted pears, white strawberries, chamomile, while tea, tarragon and slate come through, before the palate comes up with Meyer lemon, candied ginger, orange zest and salty, slatey minerality. Full bodied the way Erbaluce often is, incredibly lively and crisp the way Erbaluce often isn’t. Oranges and salt-preserved lemons linger on the finish. Pair with hearty dishes made of pork or duck or raclette.