Italy Orvieto

4 Apr, 2009 in art pottery by admin

Italy Orvieto

A Wine Lover's Weekly Guide To $10 Wines - A White Orvieto From Central Italy

This will be three inexpensive Italian wines in a row. First a rose, then a red, so why not a white? Umbria is in central Italy. The wine reviewed comes from Orvieto, a town near the Latium border and not that far from the Tuscan border. I think you can guess which of the neighboring regions is known for wine. The Orvieto Classico area has chalky soil so we may be facing a highly acidic wine that tastes of minerals. This particular wine is based on four local grapes, only one of which has (sometimes) a fine reputation.

Whether or not you like this wine, Umbria and the town of Orvieto are well worth visiting. This site is absolutely spectacular, sitting on an enormous plateau of volcanic rock. They didn't need the typical high walls to defend the town from invaders. If you go, make sure to take the underground tour and enjoy the local cuisine. You can try the local wines or order Tuscan wines such as Vino Nobile de Montepulciano which comes from an area just over the regional border. I just tasted such a wine, but you won't find it among my $10 wine reviews.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Ruffino Orvieto Classico DOC 2007 12 % alcohol about $9.50

Let's start with the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Pale straw color; citrus and apple fruit aromas and flavors; light-bodied, clean and crisp a hint of almond in the finish. Serving Suggestion: Serve chilled as an aperitif or with deep fried calamari. And now for my review.

At the first sip the wine was mild tasting with soft acidity. It lingered. The first pairing was with a Middle Eastern specialty, Kube or Kibbe, ground beef in crushed Bulghar wheat jackets served with a peppery sauce containing crushed tomatoes. The wine was appley and somewhat sweet with pleasing acidity. So far there's not a lot to say about this wine.

The second pairing included a barbecued chicken breast in a caramelized sauce, potato salad, and a Moroccan-style tomato, garlic, and pimento salsa that wasn't very spicy. The sweetness of the Orvieto blended well with the sweetness of the chicken. With the other dishes the wine lost its sweetness and stopped just short of feathery. It picked up more strength with the acidic salsa.

The final meal included a mushroom omelet, an overly mayonnaised grilled artichoke dip, and Japanese rice crackers. The wine started out light. It was not particularly flavorful. It got better developing some notes of apple. Even though the artichoke dip was mild tasting it cut across the wine. For dessert I enjoyed a high-quality French style lemon pie with a buttery crust. The pie was delicious but totally flattened the Orvieto.

In the presence of the first cheese, a Mozzarella , the wine picked up some intensity was did not have much flavor. With a yellow Cheddar I tasted pale apples, but only in the background.

Final verdict. I really don't think that I would buy this wine again, it was simply too forgettable. On the other hand, some of the pairings were OK. See if you can get it at a better price. Or better yet, see if you can get a better wine.

About the Author

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but really prefers fine Italian or other wine, with good food and company. He loves teaching computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines and new sections writing about and tasting organic and kosher wines. His Italian travel website is www.travelitalytravel.com .

Winter in Italy? Best place to go?

Whats a good town for 8, 40 year olds to travel to in Italy? We all turn 40 next year! New Years in Vegas then off to Italy...in winter? The last time I was in Italy in winter, everything was closed up in Orvieto. Where to go? or is Spring better? Also, whats a good town?

January is one of the quietest months here, but you could still find some interesting things to do. The exhibition of presepi (nativity scenes) in the old Roman colosseum in Verona is running into January. There's an interesting regatta in Venice on the holiday on the 6th where the rowers dress as the Befana (a witch). The museums, galleries and churches will all be here.

If you wait a month, Carnevale will be running in February. In addition to Venice, there are many towns here with varied and interesting Carnevale celebrations. You pretty much have to see the one in Ivrea to believe it. Cento and Viareggio both have important and interesting Carnevale parades on Sundays for several consecutive weeks. There's also the Verona in Love festival around Valentine's Day or you go go to Terni to see the actual St Valentine.

In January, I'd probably go to Rome and Florence. There will be more to see and do. Places like the Amalfi Coast will be relatively empty. Some of the boat service won't be running and many hotels and restaurants are closed until the tourist season starts. The area where I live around Venice, Verona and Padova is also pretty good then.

Orvieto,Italy