Gee, I Could Have Had a V. . .

Most days, I take my lunch sitting at the bar in a nearby Italian restaurant. Of course, I can't help but eavesdrop when someone orders wine. Not surprisingly, Chardonnay and Merlot are among the most frequently requested. When it comes to Italian wine, however, Pinot Grigio seems to be the favorite. Indeed, some patrons just say "Santa Margherita" as though it were synonymous for that varietal. Perhaps they're unaware that they'll pay a few dollars more a glass than if they accepted the equally good house selection Yet they, as do many others, seem to order Pinot Grigio out of habit, like orange juice at breakfast.

Don't get me wrong; I enjoy an occasional Pinot Grigio, especially with a traditional insalata di frutta di mare (cold seafood salad) or a plate of linguine and clam sauce. But when I'm looking for Italian whites, it's generally not my first choice.

Italian biancos have a reputation, albeit undeserved, for being characterless or bland. However, if you're willing to experiment, I think you'll find that many deliver enticing flavors and display distinctive personalities. The two varietals we're focusing on this month, Verdicchio and Vernaccia, definitely exemplify these qualities.

Verdicchio is a light crisp wine from Le Marche (the Marches region), located on central Italy's Adriatic coast. Originally, it was found only in a sparkling style until the negociant firm of Fazi-Battaglia began to produce it as a still wine. This firm also devoted considerable resources to marketing the wine, choosing to bottle it in a distinctive, green amphora-shaped bottle that today might appear more '50s retro than classical. (Some actually believe that while the bottle design may have initially attracted attention, it eventually made the wine appear less than serious, and more a novelty item.) Recently there's been a renewed effort by Verdicchio producers, both in the wineries and in the vineyards, to improve the quality of their wines.

There are two Verdicchio appellations in Le Marche, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi and Verdicchio di Matelica. Although some find the Matelica stronger and fuller bodied, the characteristics are quite similar to the wines from the Castelli di Jesi and its "Classico" sub-zone that combined produce more than 20 million bottles a year. The wine typically has a nose of fresh fruit. On the palate, it's dry, delivering lemon-citrus flavors. Its distinctive bitter finish frequently suggests bitter almonds. Although the finest examples can age for several years, I believe the wine is best drunk young and served with fish or seafood.

Vernaccia is a varietal that can be found in several Italian districts (the name derives from vernaculum, the Latin for "indigenous.") However, it's the Vernaccia from the Tuscan hill town of San Gimignano that's the most famous, and deservedly so. Its history can be traced back to the 13th century. It was the first wine to receive the Italian DOC classification in 1966 and has since been elevated to the elite DOCG status. In a region known mostly for its reds, Vernaccia is nonetheless highly regarded by Tuscans, who typically pair it with fish. Often described as crisp and refreshing, the wine, which in the '60s and '70s had become rather characterless, is now being more carefully produced, with an increased focus on concentration and extract. The result has been a wine that's fuller bodied, with a more distinctive character and one that might live up to Michelangelo's description of it as a wine that "kisses, licks, bites, pinches, and stings."

Unfortunately, both these wines remain relatively obscure. Indeed, it was difficult to accumulate as varied a selection for this tasting as we had planned, and after visiting six wine stores, we were able to find only six Verdicchios and four Vernaccias. Originally we had intended to include Vermentino, a wine from Sardinia and Liguria, in this tasting of wines that begin with "V," but were unable to locate even one. What amazed me was the number of Pinot Grigios in each store--sometimes more than a half dozen.

This paucity of choice amidst a plethora of Pinot Grigio motivated me all the more to spread the word about these two underestimated and overlooked wines. So, the next time you're wine shopping or dining Italian, why not take a few extra minutes to peruse the shelves or the wine list and look for one of these "V" wines. Otherwise, you might find yourself sipping yet another glass of Pinot Grigio and realizing, alas too late, "Gee, I could have had a Verdicchio or a Vernaccia."

As is our custom, we first tasted the wines by themselves and then accompanied by food. For the meal, we served pasta in a creamy tuna-fish and cheese sauce. The wines are reviewed below in the order tasted.

1999 Fazi Battaglia, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico, DOC ($7.99)
Pale straw in color, this textbook Verdicchio has a clean nose of lemon and grass, with a certain floral sweetness. Light bodied, it has good structure with adequate acidity for food. On entry, it's crisp and delivers lemony citrus flavors that linger, followed by an agreeable peach-kernel bitterness. The finish is long and similarly bitter. Quite refreshing. This wine was excellent with the pasta, supporting the flavor of the tuna. Imported by Palm Bay Imports, Boca Raton, FL.

1998 Monte Schiavo, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico, DOC ($7.99)
Very pale straw in color, this wine has a cats' pee nose with some herbaceous and floral notes, followed by toast. On the palate, it's medium bodied and surprisingly unctuous, revealing plenty of Granny Smith apple flavors with lemon notes. There's also good acidity. The finish is only slightly bitter and rather toasty. It supported the food nicely. Imported by Verdoni Imports, Inc., Hawthorne, NJ.

1997 Umani Ronchi, CaSal di Serra, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore, DOC ($8.49)
The wine's deep gold color and sherry-like flavors indicated accurately that this wine from one of the leading producers in the region was either beyond its prime or stored improperly. Imported by R&R Marketing, LLC, West Caldwell, NY.

1998 Monte Schiavo, Pallido di San Floriano, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore, DOC ($8.99)
This wine is pale straw in color with tinges of green. It has a pleasant, rather complex nose of rock candy, lemon citrus, and some floral notes as well. On the palate, it's medium bodied and delivers plenty of lemony flavor with vanilla notes. The flavors linger. The wine is nicely structured with good acidity for the table and has a long finish, with vanilla and some peach. Very good with the pasta. This wine is made from late harvested grapes. Definitely one of the stars of this tasting. Imported by Verdoni Imports, Inc., Hawthorne, NJ.

1999 Sartarelli, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico, DOC ($9.99)
Pale yellow in color, this wine has an inviting nose of herbs and fuzzy peach. It's bone dry, with lingering lemon flavors and some hints of vanilla. The "sizzly lemon," said one taster, "tickles the tongue." The flavors linger on the tongue. This wine is well structured, with plenty of good acidity, and has a very pleasant finish of sweet lemons. It was wonderful with the food and provided a lovely counterpoint to the tuna pasta. Another star of this tasting. Imported by Vias Imports, Ltd., New York, NY.

1999 Sartarelli, Tralivio, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore, DOC ($14.99)
Pale gold in color, this wine has a restrained, subtle nose of herbs with some floral notes as well. It's a coy nose that seems to play hide-and-seek. The wine is crisp and medium bodied, with more concentration than most. It delivers tingly lemon zest flavors together with some almond and candied-citron flavors. It has a great finish, with characteristic bitterness. This wine was wonderful with the food. Another star of this tasting. Imported by Vias Imports, Ltd., New York, NY.

2000 Fattoria Sovestro, Poggio ai Cannicci, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, DOCG ($8.99)
Very pale in color with some greenish hues, this wine has an inviting nose of citrus and minerals reminiscent of wet slate. Medium bodied, it's quite forward on the palate with hazelnut-oil flavors and some lemon notes. The flavors linger, and the wine has a good finish, with lemon and peach-pit notes. It has good acidity for food. The wine was OK with the pasta. Imported by Vias Imports, Ltd., New York, NY.

1996 S.Quirico, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Riserva, DOCG ($11.99)
Pale gold in color, this wine has a pretty Muscat nose with some leather notes. It's medium bodied and delivers green-apple and Muscat flavors. Nicely structured with good acidity, it has a rather curt finish with some Muscat flavors. Imported by Winebow, Inc., New York, NY.

2000 La Diacceta, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, DOCG ($11.99)
This wine has a very pale straw color with some greenish tints. The nose, forward and buttery with floral notes, is pretty and inviting. The wine is medium bodied and assertive on the palate, delivering lemony flavors complemented by violet notes. The flavors last and the wine has a nice mid-palate as well. The finish is good with lingering lemon flavors. This wine supported the pasta well, complementing it all the way. Another star of this tasting. Imported by Wm. Grant & Sons Inc., New York, NY.

1999 Teruzzi & Puthod, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, DOCG ($11.99)
Pale straw in color, this wine has a coy nose of Muscat with some milk notes. Medium bodied, it's quite assertive on the palate, with nutty almond flavors and bitter notes. The flavors linger and reveal some hints of lemon. The wine has, what one taster termed, a "rustic elegance." It has a good bitter-almond finish. In short, a textbook Vernaccia that was excellent with the food. Imported by Empson (U.S.A.) Inc., Alexandria, VA.

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