Grechetto dei Colli Martani 2007, Antonelli, $14.99
(Grechetto 100%; Montefalco,Umbria, Italy)
.....Grechetto is Umbria's main white grape variety. In southern Orvieto it is used as one grape in the blend, but in the central Todi area, known as the Colli Martani, it is a varietal wine or 100%. The winery is located there in the town of Montefalco. Owner Filippo Antonelli has run the estate since 1986. He divides his time between Montefalco and Rome where he manages another estate, Castello di Torre in Pietra. We visited the winery last September with our guide Christiano, the proprietor of the Enoteca Oberdan, our favorite restaurant and wine bar in our home base of Todi. Now our favorite "house" white wine, this Grechetto is full and smooth with stone fruits and citrus and an intriguiging herbal note. We have paired it with tomato-basil soup, salads, "white" pizza (rosemary and parmesean) It reminds me of Gruner Veltliner fom Austria, which is another of my favorite dry white wines.

Montefalco Rosso 2004, Antonelli, $20.99
(Sangiovese 65% , Sagrantino 15%, Cabernet Sauvignon 10%, Merlot 10%; Montefalco,Umbria, Italy)
.....This red is blended from the classic Umbrian red grapes including Umbria's own, unique Sagrantino grape. The bouquet shows "frutti di bosco" or fruits of the forest, cherries, and plums and notes of toasty oak. In the mouth it is generous and beautifully balanced.

Orvieto Classico Superiore "Terre Vineate" 2008, Palazzone $14.99
(Procanico 50%, Grechetto 25%, and the rest Verdelho, Malvasia Toscano, and Drupeggio; Orvieto, Umbria, Italy)

.....On our penultimate day in Umbria we drove through the cold misty rain from Todi past the cliff-top city of Orvieto to the hamlet of Rocca Ripesena and the Palazzone winery. There we met the charming and erudite owner/winemaker Giovanni Dubini. After touring the winery we moved next door to the recently restored Locanda Palazzone. This 14th century "hospalitis" or Pilgrim Inn lies on the route of the ancient Via Francigena that ran from Canterbury, England to Rome.

.....Giovanni opened all nine of his wines including an old vintage of one wine, the 1997 "Terre Vineate" Orvieto that was alive and intriguing with a deep gold color and showing very different fruits than the current vintage. He described the 2007's "elegant, vivid bouquet with a definite scent of hazelnut. The impact on the palate is intense yet refreshingly dry and the finish is a perfect balance between the perfume of the fruits and a touch of bitterness. Terre Vineate is a wine for pasta dishes, for meat accompanied by rich sauce and for fish cooked in piquant fashion." I found peach, pear, mineral, and hazelnut. Round on the palate with a lovely fruit depth, it is my favorite Orvieto. "Terre Vineate" is the medieval map designation for a vineyard. It is from the heart of Orvieto in the "Classico" zone and is a reserve bottling, thus "Superiore."

.....Giovanni shared many of his ideas with us, "In wine, everything is written in the vineyard." And also, "A bottle of wine should be a bottle of life, not a bottle of oak and dead trees." After an enlightening visit, he called his favorite trattoria in Orvieto, La Palomba, to arrange a hearty lunch of umbricelli tartufati (Umbrian pasta with truffles). He left us with this thought: "We accept the tradition of Orvieto Classico with its distinctive mix of grape varieties; we are happy to let the more immediate, fragrant Grechetto and the austere, earthy Procanico assert their character. We love the idea that the profile of a white wine from central Italy might stand out -- graceful yet incisive... We are proud to be able to make a white wine that can be relied upon but where you can taste the difference from vintage to vintage."

Portugal

When most people think of Portugal and alcohol, they think of the fortified wine known as Port. However, to get fortified wine you have to start with wine, right? And these days, Portugal wines are getting a fresh start. This week Downtown tastes Wines of Portugal ... and maybe a little Port.

Adega Monção Fuzelo Vinho Verde 2008 - $7.99
(100% Alvarinho; Monção)
The Vinho Verde wine region in northern Portugal cranks out an excessive amount of quality white wine that only costs a few bucks. Literally translated as “green wine” the region produces fresh, young wines that rock a zing of acidity. Most whites are a blend of several local grapes like Loureiro, Arinto, Trajadura, Avesso and Azal, but given the name Vinho Verde for the region in which they are grown. They’re typically described by winos as “simple,” because of their easy drinking nature which makes them hard to beat for hot summer sipping. With most Vino Verdes clocking in at less than $10 a bottle, they are a perfect recession indulgence. The 2008 Fuzelo Vinho Verde is a fantastic wine to drink during lazy summer afternoons. Crack it open to find a lightly fizzy, super crisp wine boasting flavors of green apple with a pronounced acidity. Drink like the Portuguese with grilled fish and seafood or drink by itself at the beach. - secondglass.com

Quinta de Tojo Lisa 2008 - $10.99
(100% Moscatel; Terras do Sado)
Muscat wines are not always sweet. One taste of this dry white will banish that stereotype. Germany; Alsace, France; and now Portugal produce compelling dry Muscats. This Muscat’s exotic bouquet is so beguiling that there is no room for this wine to be anything but dry. Flavors of papaya, pineapple, and of course Muscat entice the palate. A lovely fruit-filled body with a lively acidity and a soft dry finish refreshes the palate.

Herdade do Esporão Alandra Tinto - $7.99
(Moreto, Castelão, Trincadeira; Alentejo, Portugal)
Comprised of flat plains that cover almost a third of the country, the huge Alentejo region has been leading the way in Portugal's wine revolution. Its reds have seen success in the last decade and are produced in two styles: one is a modern, fruit-forward, almost new world style; the other is the traditional Alentejo style, which requires fermenting in clay pots and produces herby, leathery, complexly spiced wines. David Baverstock of Herdade do Esporão is one of the two winemakers who are developing the reputation of Alentejo wines. This red wine shows attractive cherry fruit with a bit of spice. It's soft and rich textured, with good density. Also available in 3 liter boxes for $22.99 (that works out to under $6 per bottle)!!!

Quinta do Crasto “Crasto” 2007 - $17.99
(Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional; Douro)
Douro is Portugal's most important wine region primarily because it's where the eponymous dessert wine hails from, but it is becoming known for its fantastic dry reds as well. Like this one: “This wine is made from a blend of Douro grapes including a high proportion of Tinta Roriz and Touriga Nacional. Quinta do Crasto's Douro Red is a fresh, fruity wine which is accessible at an early age combining the character of the fruit with hints of spice. The palate is rich and vibrant well supported by soft tannins and balanced acidity.” - winery

Grilos Tinto 2007 - $11.99
(Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro; Dão, Portugal)
Dão reds, even up to the 90s, used to be tough, tannic, and generally unremarkable. However the last ten years have seen the quality rise to such an extent that that description no longer fits the bill. This inland region has cold, wet winters and mild and dry summers falling on granite soiled, elevated altitude vineyards that produce ripe grapes with good acidity. The Quinta dos Grilos Vinho Tinto (Crickets Estate Red Wine. Yes, that's a cricket, not a roach on the label) is only produced in years when the grape quality is good enough. The wine ages for six months in French oak barrels and has an intense, dark ruby color complimented by the fresh ripe berry aromas matched with a soft and well-balanced fruity palate.

Quinta de la Rosa, Ruby Port Lote No. 601 NV - $19.99 on sale for $9.96
(Traditional port varieties, mainly Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Roriz)
"Quinta de la Rosa's Ruby Port is unique in that it comes from A graded grapes all grown on the Quinta. Most other ruby blends come from further down the river nearer Regua where there is higher rainfall and most grapes are B to D quality so the resulting port tends to be less concentrated. Many customers told us that our ruby was too good to be called a ruby port' so we christened it with the name - Lote 601 - taken from lote or blending number we use for the ruby. Some of our ruby is still made in the traditional way - trodden in granite lagares. The Ruby is blended from our stocks of Port stored in large 'tonels' or vats to give a young, fruity, vibrant wine with an average age of 3-4 years. The blend will always have the same style from year to year. Unlike most port shippers, all products are stored and bottled in the Douro (at La Rosa and not Porto), allowing full traceability and ensuring quality from grape to bottle. A Vintage Character style blended port of great quality and complexity. Showing beautiful deep ruby colour with plenty of forward fruit, full bodied with a long dry finish. The slight dry finish is typical of La Rosa's house style." - winery