So much groovy wine being poured in Houston right now, including this 2006 Solea, a Chardonnay and Nebbiolo blend from one of my favorite Langa producers, Roagna.

It was recommended to me by Thomas Moësse, my friend and one of Houston’s leading Italian wine pros. He runs a fantastic program over at Divino Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar (one of my favorite places to hang with Cousin Marty, who joined me last night).

Angelo Gaja has famously talked about Italy’s immense potential as a producer of white wine. And, of course, he became an Italian white wine pioneer when he planted Chardonnay Treiso township (Barbaresco) in 1979.

According to Roagna’s website, Chardonnay was planted in the Pira cru in the southern part of Castiglione Falletto township in the mid-1980s — so not long after Gaja planted his.

The Roagna family acquired the vineyard in 1989 and it would appear — gauging from an image on the Solea fact sheet page — that the first vintage of this wine released by the estate was 1988.

The Chardonnay rows, writes the winery on the site, are at the bottom of the southeastern-facing slope, which is otherwise planted to Nebbiolo.

The first thing that impressed me about this wine was its gorgeous freshness. Not a note of oxidation here despite being a 10-year-old wine.

Come-hither aromas of white fruit gave way to a blend of succulent white and stone fruit in the mouth.

WineSearcher shows 2012 as the current release for this wine. And I don’t know where Thomas hooked up the 2006.

But, hey, I’m not asking questions! I’m just digging these happy days of not traveling and reconnecting with my city.

White wines blow away…

A million magic crystals, painted pure and white
A multi-million dollars, almost overnight
Twice as sweet as sugar, twice as bitter as salt
And if you get hooked, baby, it’s nobody else’s fault, so don’t do it!