Sunday Magazine – July 28, 2019

S MAGAZINE ★ 28 JULY 2019 49

Jamie Goode

wINE

Our expert scours Italy for the best and brightest whites

O

f all the wine-

producing countries

in the world, the one

that probably flies

under the radar the

most is Italy. we know prosecco,

we know pinot grigio, and we

know chianti, but that’s about it.

Italy is a source of some

little-known but brilliant wines,

from vineyards that spread from

the mountainous north to the

Mediterranean tip of the country.

In particular, I’m currently taken

by the whites. Here’s my super

selection of tasty and mostly

affordable Italian whites.

Marks & Spencer Fiano

2018 Sannio DOP, Campania

£9.50, Marks & Spencer,

13% alcohol

A delicate white with crystalline

lemons, well-integrated acidity

and saline hints, this also has a

touch of orange peel and almonds.

Botte del Conti Pecorino

2018 Terre di Chieti, Abruzzo

£5.25, Lidl, 12% alcohol

This central Italian white is fresh

and vivid with juicy lemony

fruit as well as some bright

floral flavours. It’s an attractive,

summery dry white that has

honey and nuts on the finish.

Very quaffable.

Araldica Gavi Elisa

2018, Piedmont £10.49,

virginwine.co.uk (0343 224

1001), 12.5% alcohol

A delightful crisp, dry white from

the cortese grape variety, this

wine has spice, dried herbs

and grapefruit detail as well

as a core of lemony fruit. There’s

also a hint of mint on the finish.

Very attractive stuff.

Tenuta Roveglia Lugana 2018

£8.50, Asda, 13% alcohol

From the vineyards around Lake

Garda in northern Italy, this is a

delicious, expressive white with

delicate herbs, grapefruit and

white peach notes. It has lots

of personality, brightness and

some grapey richness.

The Fire Tree Fiano 2017, Sicily

£4.99, Aldi, 13% alcohol

with aromas of floral pears and

peaches, this stylish white has

rich but mellow fruity flavours. It

is a delicious, fruit-forward wine

brimming with personality and

unbeatable at under a fiver.

Tesco Finest Passerina 2017

Terre di Chieti, Abruzzo

£6, Tesco, 13% alcohol

This full-coloured dry white from

Abruzzo has bags of taste with

flavours of pears, peaches, wax

and dried herbs. There are no

rough edges here: it’s rich yet

fresh with nice weight and texture.

Pianeta Organico Pinot

Grigio Delle Venezie 2018

£5.99, Aldi, 12% alcohol

Nicely packaged in a squat

bottle, this organic pinot grigio

packs in plenty of flavour. There’s

a bit of grapey richness, but

it also has flavours of pear skin,

grapefruit pith and gorgeous

notes of wild herbs, plus a faint

whiff of Parmesan savouriness.

It’s great value for money.

* Ts&Cs Apply: Offer available to new Discovery Club members only. Important – your future cases: Every three months and at Christmas, you will be notified in advance of the next

Discovery Club selection. You will receive this unless you request otherwise, and the appropriate sum (currently £89.99 + £7.99 p&p) will be charged to your credit/debit card. You

have no commitment whatsoever and may opt out from the Discovery Club at any time. All wines supplied by Virgin Wines. Company registration number 03800762. You must be

18 or over to purchase alcohol. Calls may be monitored or recorded for training purposes. For full Ts&Cs please visit http://www.virginwines.co.uk/ex2038

The Express Wine Club, powered by Virgin Wines, is delighted to offer readers a massive £54 saving on this

pick of 12 delicious bottles – the perfect introduction to the Virgin Wines Discovery Club*!

For the equivalent of JUST £4.17 a bottle you’ll enjoy soft and juicy Shiraz, gooseberry-fresh Sauvignon, a full and

fruity South African gem and many more! Stock is strictly limited to just one case per customer!

Call 0843 224 1020 quoting EX2038 or visit http://www.virginwines.co.uk/ex2038

Also available as an all-red or all-white selection.

The Express Discovery Case was £104.88 NOW £49.99 +£7.99 P&P

SAVE OVER 50% when you join the

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