Mastroberardino Greco di Tufo, 2002 ($10.99) - We got this wine at an auction It was $24! - Best known for its red wines, Italy also makes some stunning whites. Most of them are overpriced, but I’ve been a fan of this wine for decades. My notes: “Simply a steal at this price! Delicious. The sample was opened 24 hours ago, and it’s holding up remarkably well. Medium body, very attractive almond character. Classy stuff.” Wine Spectator 88: “Beautiful aromas of lemons, minerals, and honey with hints of flowers. Medium- to full-bodied, with fresh acidity and a minerally aftertaste.”
   The Mastroberardino family has 300 years (9 generations!) of wine-related history in Campania, Italy. Their world renowned winery is credited with rescuing, cultivating, and promoting two ancient vines that would have become extinct without their efforts. The white Greco grape was imported by the Hellenes before the founding of Rome. The historian Pliny named this grape “apiane” for he noticed that bees preferred it. The red Taurasi grape is the “vigne opime” of old Taurasia of which Titus Livius wrote. Since World War II, these grapes have been vinified as single-varietal wines by Mastroberardino and others.

Casa alla Terra Vernaccia, 2004 ($11.99) - The Vernaccia grape has never received its due in this country. This refined Italian white wine was made from 100% Vernaccia grapes grown on the rolling hills surrounding the gorgeous fortified town of San Gimignano in Tuscany. A terrific value, it is clean and refreshing with an almond undertone and good structure. It begs for olives, nuts, bruschetta, grilled shrimp, and broiled fish.

Di Majo Norante Falanghina, 2006 ($12.99) - Italy is full of local wines made from interesting indigenous grapes that are little known to the wine world at large. Falanghina from Campania has been called the “wine of Roman poets.” Although overshadowed by the newly approved DOCG status of Greco di Tufo and Fiano, Falanghina is showing its quality as it did long ago. This grape was once praised by the poets of classical Rome and graced the tables of emperors and dignitaries. Roman generals were said to have supplied this mystical juice to their conquering troops. Daniel Thomases, a wine reviewer for Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, says, “The 1990s have seen a startling development of the quality of Falanghina, once considered suitable for large amounts of juice and little else. The variety is indeed healthy and vigorous, but more rigor in the vineyard and lower yields have demonstrated it is capable of real aromatic interest redolent of pears and resin with an important texture and depth. Benevento is the center of better Falanghina production, and the new bottles coming onto the market are a revelation of a complexity hardly imaginable just a few years ago.” Straw yellow with hints of green, this tasty wine has generous pomegranate-like fruit and a soft texture.

Villa Girardi Lugana, 2005 ($12.99) - What a delight! This dry Italian white wine has a terrific bouquet, good body, and an excellent finish. It is a great alternative to Pinot Grigio. Villa Girardi is owned by Tommasi, the famous Amarone producer. The ancient Roman Trebulan grape has many clonal incarnations in Italy. Called Trebbiano in modern Italy, it is the same grape that is called Ugni Blanc in France where it makes crisp young wines in Gascogny and is the base for Cognac and Armagnac. The Lugana zone encompasses parts of both Lombardy and Veneto. Lugana is made from a clone called Trebbiano di Lugana which is well adapted to the local soil and climate.

Croce dei Monti Pinot Grigio, Alto Adige, Italy, 2006 ($15.99) - Here is another wonderful Pinot Grigio that avoids the light, thin, character of so many of the genre. This one has depth, body, and fullness. Flavorful and fruit-filled, it is bright, balanced, and harmonious. Alto Adige in northeast Italy is the source of some of the best Pinot Grigios. This beauty is less expensive and significantly better than Santa Margherita. Save money, get a better wine.