Each Friday, David Brenner of Villasfor2 in Abruzzo selects a delicious, top-value 'Everyday Italian Wine' for you to enjoy at home - or on your Abruzzo vacation !

Torre di Giano. Lungarotti. 2006
A treat. This very wine from the classy Lungarotti stable in Umbria has been awarded an 'Oscar Nazionale' by the prestigious Almanacco del Berebene 2008. And it's not difficult to understand why.

This wine comes from the Torgiano area of Umbria that's better known for its reds. Despite that, this Bianco di Torgiano was awarded DOC status in 1968 - not long after the Lungarotti winery itself was founded. This version sold under the 'Torre di Giano' brand-name is a blend of (predominantly) Trebbiano, plus a little Grechetto.

The blurb on the label describes this wine as 'elegant' which for once, hits the bullseye. There's a beguiling scent of greengages and acacia honey in the glass; now take a sip and that soft fruitiness is cut with just enough acidity - and a little mineral dryness in the finish - to stop it being flabby. It's a really well-made wine and for under €6 a bottle, it's an absolute steal.

Don't swamp the delicacy here with highly-flavoured food. Personally, I'm happy just to drink a glass or two on its own as an aperitif with no accompaniment whatsoever. That said, it was just delicious with a mushroom risotto - and it would've drunk nicely with a plate of plain, pan-fried scallops too; or, if you were feeling extravagant, a grilled Dover sole. Even simpler, treat this wine as you would a good Fino or Amontillado sherry and try it with just a few green olives and a handful of salted almonds. And drink it within two years of the vintage !

At A Glance…

• This week's featured wine: Torre di Giano
• Vintage: 2006
• Producer: Cantine Lungarotti
• Designation: DOC
• Grape: 70% Trebbiano: 30% Grechetto
• Strength: 12%
• Closure: Cork
• This bottle cost: €5.95

Cantine Lungarotti
Take a look at the excellent and bang up-to-date Lungarotti website, which has a real 'something for everyone' feel. Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, grappa, a hefty 16% dessert wine, a Nocino liqueur and a 50-50 Chardonnay/Pinot Nero sparkler provide the bonus goodies to an impressive list headed by a couple of oustanding Umbrian DOCG's - the Sangiovese/Canajolo 'Rubesco Riserva' and the 'Sagrantino di Montefalco' made with 100% Sagrantino grapes. There are even a couple of DOC 'junior' versions of these wines: a 'Montefalco Rosso' - a Sangiovese/Merlot blend with just a touch of Sagrantino; and a 'Rubesco' with the same 70-30 Sangiovese/Canajolo blend, but a little less age and refinement. If they're as good as the bottle reviewed this week - can't wait !

Click on the pictures in the text for larger images - and if you like Italian wine, check out last week's 'Everyday Italian Wine' and bookmark this site for future Friday posts ! 

Next Week: Southern Italy's best red - Aglianico del Vulture, the only DOC wine produced in Basilicata. It's a wine you'll enjoy trying at home - and on your Villasfor2 Abruzzo vacation !

Abruzzo vacation, Everyday Italian Wine, Torre di Giano, Villasfor2

This entry was posted on Friday, November 14th, 2008 at 4:25 am and is filed under David's 'Everyday Italian Wine', Eating and Drinking, Vineyards. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.