Wine Focus: Italian whites in July!

[Robin Garr]

Thanks to David's reminder that we already have a decision, I'll turn my question into an early announcement. We'll dive into the diversity of Italian whites for July, from the crisp, minerally whites of the Northeast to Gavi in the Northwest; Orvieto and Frascati and on down to the lovely aromatic whites of the far South and Sicily, with their ancient ties to Greece. Yes, there's a lot of cheap, forgettable Pinot Grigio and the moral equivalent coming out of Italy, but if you pick and choose - and we share good finds - I think we'll discover that Italy is also home to some outstanding whites that can earn a place on any table.

[David M. Bueker]

I thought we had alreeady settled on Italian whites?

[Robin Garr]

I thought we had alreeady settled on Italian whites?

I have the attention span of a gnat. Right, Italian whites, makes sense to me!

It's funny, but I remember a time when Italian white wines seemed to have too much funk/sulfur for me to like them. Now, they are some of my favorites. Go figger.

[James Roscoe]

I had an Italian white tonight with shrimp! Fabu! It went well with cheese too! Great food wines!

It's funny, but I remember a time when Italian white wines seemed to have too much funk/sulfur for me to like them. Now, they are some of my favorites. Go figger.

So Bob, here is a challenge. Try to find a Marsanne in Italy!!

[Robin Garr]

I had an Italian white tonight with shrimp! Fabu! It went well with cheese too! Great food wines!

What was it, James?

[James Roscoe]

I had an Italian white tonight with shrimp! Fabu! It went well with cheese too! Great food wines!

What was it, James?

If I could spell it I would have! Falahangina?

I think there are a few whites out there which will be good with seafood. In particular, I am thinking of some of the dry whites from Sicily. Scurati is one of my faves!

Here is a brief precis of Italian whites.......>

http://www.lifeinitaly.com/wines/major-whites.asp

It's funny, but I remember a time when Italian white wines seemed to have too much funk/sulfur for me to like them. Now, they are some of my favorites. Go figger.

Bob,

I think the overall level of Italian white wine making has increased quite a bit in the 15 years I've been importing. Many of the wines used to show too much sulfur at Vinitaly because many of them had just been bottled, but that is much less common now.

[Robin Garr]

Here is a brief precis of Italian whites.......>

http://www.lifeinitaly.com/wines/major-whites.asp

Bob, I am not picking on you, but that might not be the best source. It appears to be a very brief précis, with some major omissions and a few obvious errors. ("Pinto" Grigio, and declaring Soave a "cousin" of Pinot Grigio for two.)

The Italian Trade Commission's English-language pages are a usually reliable, albeit positive industry source.

If you go to this page:
http://italianmade.com/wines/appellations.cfm

and choose "white" from the pulldown menu, the result will give you a very thorough index of links to pages with extensive information about all the white DOCs and DOCGs.

Thanks Robin, your link is pretty good. I was just trying to get things going!

I have to say that is a wonderful selection of wines on Olivers website. I just took a peek.

Robin,

I agree, italianmade.com is a very useful reference.

[Robin Garr]

Robin,

I agree, italianmade.com is a very useful reference.

I wouldn't look to it for any critical commentary - it is intended, after all, to promote. But it does a thorough job of presenting the wines and regions of Italy (and a good overview of characteristic regional food) in a readable, organized way.

I had an Italian white tonight with shrimp! Fabu! It went well with cheese too! Great food wines!

What was it, James?

If I could spell it I would have! Falahangina?

James, Some that I have really really liked the past 5-8 years are Falenghina, Fiano, and Greco. Of course there are a lot of good pinot Grigio from NE Italy that makes for good summer sippers too. Recently bought one from Monte Campo for $5.99 per then got 10% discount for a case discount. Nice pg, if not great. Makes for a nice summer sipper on the deck with a good book though.

Well, no, a reference isn't a critical commentary.

If I could spell it I would have! Falahangina?

Falanghina

Italianmade.com is indeed a useful reference.

[Robin Garr]

Well, no, a reference isn't a critical commentary.

What I meant to say is that a reference from a trade association may be relied upon for fact but perhaps not for opinion.

I was avoiding posting to avoid the appearance of crass salesmanship, since too many of the Italian wines I taste during the year are my own, but with all of your forbearance, another Falanghina:
2009 Falanghina, La Sibilla, Campi Flegrei
Falanghina grown on ungrafted vines just up the coast from Naples. Lean, distinctive, minerally, almost Muscadet-like; hints of lemon-peel, herbs; only 12% alcohol which is refreshing these days; worked well as a dry aperitif with olives and salami. I find really dry clean white wines get my appetite started, and this is no exception.

I import this wine.

I was avoiding posting to avoid the appearance of crass salesmanship, since too many of the Italian wines I taste during the year are my own, but with all of your forbearance, another Falanghina:
2009 Falanghina, La Sibilla, Campi Flegrei
Falanghina grown on ungrafted vines just up the coast from Naples. Lean, distinctive, minerally, almost Muscadet-like; hints of lemon-peel, herbs; only 12% alcohol which is refreshing these days; worked well as a dry aperitif with olives and salami. I find really dry clean white wines get my appetite started, and this is no exception.

I import this wine.

Oliver, sell it in Kentucky!

WTN: `08 Tenuta di Altavilla Fiano di Avellino, Villa Matilde Campania.

Empson import, 13% alc, $24 Cdn, good natural cork. Opened for half-hour, did not serve too chilled.

Color. Medium to deepish yellow, no green.

Nose. Straightaway I get the nutty tones with some pear, citrus and apricot. Elegant aromas, not tropical.

Palate. Initial thought is dry, nice balance, good acidity. Well-made wine here, no oak with stonefruit on long finish. "Lime...put it in a Grun V tasting" from across the table. Not really all that fruity but still quite complex, have not had a lot of experience with this varietal.

*******after 24 hrs shows some almond tones on the finish, acidity holds it all together. Interesting.

http://www.italianmade.com/wines/doc10145.cfm

Hello,
I'm new to this board, been active on some other boards for several years. I'm a wine educator in the Lehigh Valley PA area and Italian wines is one of my favorite topics to teach and talk about, so this is a great thread. Some of my favorite whites would be -
Almondo Arneis Bricco delle Cigliege 2009
Jermann Vinnae 2007 (Ribolla Gialla)
Pieropan Soave Classico Calvarino 2005
Terredora “Loggio della Serra” Greco di Tufo 2008
All of the above have medium or higher acidity as well as interesting and complex aroma and palate notes; the Greco is more tropical fruit and more full-body along with a little funky note from the volcanic soil in Compania. All great for summer drinking.
Cheers!

Don Appleton

I just been down to the cellar to search for a bottle of Italian white and found just one. By contrast i guess that there are between 100 & 150 bottles of Italian red. I do buy Italian whites but I have never felt the need to mature them and they usually disappear having given a lot of pleasure within 9 months. What Italian white wine types benefit from a few years ageing, as for example top Riesling, Loire Chenin, Sauternes and white Burgundy (if premox free) do? Any views?

My last purchases of Italian white were very satisfactory ones of 6 bottles each of Grechetto and Orvieto when visiting the estates last October. The remaining bottle is an Orvieto, about which I wrote in late November 2009 -

When I tasted it at the estate, I liked Orvieto Superiore “Lunata” 2008 – Tenuta Le Velette for its fresh and lively fragrance combined with smooth and quite rich fruit and lovely oriental spices. Although I have read that Orvieto does not travel, I can confirm that it was just as good, if not better, with the typically Belgian “moules marinières” at home; 16/20++.

I fear that this last bottle may already have lost some freshness without compensating complexity. We will see when I open it in the next few days. Meanwhile I will look for some others but the choice within a 20km radius is not so great.

Tim, look forward to any TN you can muster!

Don, welcome. Some nice wines there, where are you based?