2013 Emidio Pepe Pecorino Colli Aprutini IGT, Abruzzo

Pecorino grapes are delicious because they’re sweet and so can make decently high- alcohol wines. But the grape isn’t just sweet — in fact, the sugar content is beautifully balanced by bracing acidity and complex minerality, making Pecorino a prime candidate for age-worthy wines. But the other beautiful thing about Pecorino — for white wine lovers especially — is the complexity you can find in a relatively young, affordable bottle. In a similarly priced Pecorino, you’ll get much more than a two-dimensionally crisp Pinot Grigio or slatey Sauvignon Blanc; you get character, noticeable terroir, a richer flavor profile than often accompanies “fresh” white wines — notes of soft fruit, florals, dry herb, minerality, all balanced by freshening acid and a slightly heavier mouthfeel (thank you, sugar). Put simply, Pecorino is tremendous bang-for-your-buck wine (in a market that hasn’t quite caught up with that value yet) but you can just as easily find higher-end