Bellini Frascati 2011

Bellini Frascati 2011

Origin: Italy
Blend: Malvasia Bianca di Candia (50%), Trebbiano Toscano (40%), Malvasia del Lazio (10%)
Alcohol Content: 12.0%
Bottle Closure: Natural Cork
Purchase Date: August 2012
Purchase Price: $8.99 (750ml bottle)

Our review: Pale greenish yellow in color, this wine has aromas of green apple, citrus zest, and a hint of spice. Nicely balanced on the palate, the fruit flavors are crisp and just slightly tart, and lean very much towards apple in character. The lengthy finish adds a soft touch minerality.

Our rating: This is a very nice wine, light and refreshing. The blend may be slightly different than that indicated above as we took it from a previous vintage, but it strikes a lot of right notes. We chose to serve our bottle with grilled chicken and vegetables, and found it paired very well. We think lighter dishes probably are best here: salads, vegetarian meals, simply prepared chicken or fish. Overall, we score it well Above Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: A crisp, fresh white with vibrant acidity, brimming with notes of melon, apple and quince. Easy to enjoy, this crowd-pleasing Italian blend will enhance shellfish, light pasta dishes and fresh salads.

Winery website: Cantine Fratelli Bellini. This wine is not mentioned on the winery website.

Castellana Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2011

Castellana Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2011

Origin: d'Abruzzo, Italy
Blend: Trebbiano (100%)
Alcohol Content: 11.0%
Bottle Closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: June 2012
Purchase Price: $6.99 (750ml bottle)

Our review: Medium gold in color, this wine has aromas of apple, pear, honey and spices, with softer notes of almonds. The palate is similar to the nose, though the earthy, woodsy character seems more dominant here. The finish is persistent and has a slightly chalky minerality to it.

Our rating: This is most definitely a wine to serve with food and probably one that should be opened early and consumed later; we don't think it works all that well on its own. It's reasonably food friendly, though, probably best paired with roasted poultry or barbecue pork dishes. We can't say we're enthusiastic about this wine, but we didn't mind it either. A nice change of pace, but all in all, we score it just Average. We've reviewed this wine twice in the past, apparently enjoying those bottles more than we did this one: We rated the 2007 vintage and the 2008 vintage both Above Average.

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: None found.

Collezione Marchesini Orvieto Classico 2009

Collezione Marchesini Orvieto Classico 2009

Origin: Orvieto, Italy
Blend: Grechetto and Trebbiano (percentages unknown)
Alcohol Content: 12.0%
Bottle Closure: Natural Cork
Purchase Date: May 2011
Purchase Price: $8.99 (750ml bottle)

Our review: A very pale gold in color with a tint of green this wine has aromas of citrus (lemon) and orange blossom with very slight notes of herbs, maybe lemongrass. The fruit flavors, mostly lemon and other citrus, are nicely balanced on the palate, and have a bit of body to them. The finish is relatively short and tastes a bit of lemon or orange zest.

Our rating: This is a very pleasant wine, if not an altogether interesting or memorable one. There are a lot of familiar characteristics to it, so much so that it fails to distinguish itself as something different and unique. That isn't necessarily a bad thing — all things considered, we rather enjoyed our bottle — but it seems a bit generic, like an everyday table wine … which maybe it is. Serve it with classic Italian dishes, though it's also quite nice on its own or as an aperitif. We rate it Above Average overall.

Taste profile from the winemaker: None

Winery website: None found.

Gaetano d'Aquino Orvieto Classico 2009

Gaetano d'Aquino Orvieto Classico 2009
Origin: Orvieto, Italy
Blend: Trebbiano and Grechetto (percentages unknown)
Alcohol Content: 12.0%
Bottle Closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: February 2011
Purchase Price: $4.99

Our review: A very pale yellow-gold in color, this aromatic wine exhibits a bouquet of citrus and floral scents. Rather dry on the palate, the flavors are not well-structured and seem subdued and diffuse, overpowered to a degree by a chalky minerality. The finish adds some earthy, almost smoky character.

Our rating: This isn't much of a sipping wine, but we do think it is food friendly, able to pair with a variety of cuisines. We served our bottle with roasted chicken, which we thought worked quite well for both meal and wine. We actually enjoyed this wine a bit more than our review may have suggested, rating it on the high side of Average. (And at just $5, it's definitely worth a try.)

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: None found.

Armento Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2008

Armento Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2008
Origin: Abruzzo, Italy
Blend: Trebbiano (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.0%
Bottle Closure: Natural Cork
Purchase Date: February 2011
Purchase Price: $5.99

Our review: Medium, almost amber, gold in color, this wine has aromas of spiced (cider-like) tree fruit with strong notes of citrus and honey. The palate is surprising thin, flavor-wise, with little depth. It is a bit acidic and slightly reminiscent of unripened citrus fruit. There is little finish.

Our rating: This wine disappointed us, and we're wondering if maybe it might be past its prime here and not aging well. We served our bottle with a chicken and rice dish, which helped soften some of the rough edges, but didn't really improve it much. Sad to say, we didn't even finish our bottle and rate it Inferior.

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: None found.

Citra Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2008

Citra Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2008
Origin: Italy
Blend: Trebbiano (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.0%
Bottle Closure: Natural Cork
Purchase Date: September 2010
Purchase Price: $4.99

Our review: Greenish gold in color, this wine has aromas of tree fruit (peaches notably) and some citrus and citrus blossom. A bit thin, flavor-wise, on the palate, the fruit character develops somewhat into the finish, which adds a touch of minerality.

Our rating: This is not a remarkable wine by any means, but it's hard not to point out that it is a most credible wine at this price point. Sufficiently different from other standard ABC fare, we'd definitely keep a bottle or two on hand to serve with a light lunch, if only to keep things interesting. Though we rate it just Average, we think it's overall value is much higher.

Taste profile from the winemaker: "Color: Straw gold with delicate greenish tints. Bouquet: Fresh and pleasant, with lingering citrus notes. Taste: Full, crisp, dry and harmonious."

Winery website: Citra Wines.

Masciarelli Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2008

Masciarelli Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2008
Origin: Abruzzo, Italy
Blend: Trebbiano (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.0%
Bottle Closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: January 2010
Purchase Price: $8.99

Our review: Pale yellowish straw, this wine has bountiful aromas of tropical fruit (in particular, pineapple) with contrasting spice notes. The fruit flavors are refreshing on the palate, clean and crisp, with just a hint of minerals. The finish lacks depth and is rather brief, but not unpleasant.

Our rating: We enjoyed our bottle with a vegetarian pizza, with which it paired very nicely. It should also pair well with most pasta dishes and a wide variety of appetizers or cheeses. Attractively priced, it's a good introduction to this varietal, which should be consumed while young (within a year or two of bottling). We rate it Above Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: "Colour: Straw-like yellow with greenish glints. Bouquet: Fairly intense -- fine fragrance. Flavour: Hints of apple, apricot and iris."

Winery website: Masciarelli.

Castellana Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2008

Castellana Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2008
Origin: Italy
Blend: Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (100%)
Alcohol Content: 11.0%
Bottle Closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: September 2009
Purchase Price: $6.99

Our review: Light yellow in color, this wine has aromas of tropical fruit, honey, with floral notes. The palate has some brief fruit flavors, but they are quickly replaced by a nutty, earthy character. The finish is lengthy and has an interesting evolution, or progression, of flavors and sensations.

Our rating: This complex wine is not meant to be consumed as an aperitif, and requires food to bring out its best. We served ours with a risotto, not a bad choice but probably not the best. We think a rich casserole, or maybe a poultry dish, is better. It scores well here, Above Average, but not quite as good as the Castellana Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2007, which we rated slightly higher, and for completely different reasons. At $7, though, it's a bargain regardless.

No taste profile from the winemaker found.

Winery website: None found.

Montresor Trebbiano di Lugana 2008

Montresor Trebbiano di Lugana 2008
Origin: Lugana, Italy
Blend: Trebbiano di Lugana (100%)
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Bottle Closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: August 2009
Purchase Price: $11.99

Our review: Pale gold in color, this wine has aromas of spiced fruit with hints of honey and flowers. Smooth and dry on the palate, the fruit flavors are somewhat muted, and accompanied by a soft mineral character. The finish is slightly nutty and of extended length.

Our rating: An elegant wine, its flavors are refined but rather subdued; it should pair nicely with richly flavored cuisines. We chose an oven roasted chicken and potatoes, which enhanced both the wine and the dish. Priced a bit on the high side, still, if you're unfamiliar with trebbianos this would be a fine one to try. We rate it Above Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: "Straw pale colour with golden reflections; intense, nice nose. Dry on the palate, delicate and elegant with flavors of pear flowers."

Winery website: Cantine Montressor S.P.A..

Melini Orvieto Classico Secco 2007

Melini Orvieto Classico Secco 2007
Origin: Umbria, Italy
Blend: Procanico / Trebbiano (65%), Verdello (20%), Drupeggio (15%)
Alcohol Content: 12.5%
Bottle Closure: Natural Cork
Purchase Date: June 2009
Purchase Price: $9.99

Our review: Golden straw with aromas of tree fruit and notes of apple blossom. Crisp and refreshing on the palate, a considerable spice (maybe nut-like) character develops accompanied by some heat that dissipates somewhat into the finish, which is complex and long lasting.

Our rating: We enjoyed this wine; it's very different from the typical white wines found in the US, and one worth trying. We're typically not fans of nutty wines, as it were, but here the character comes through more as spice than nut. We served our bottle with a chicken and pasta dish. Quite interesting overall, we rate it Above Average.

Taste profile from the winemaker: "label: It has a light straw color, a fresh, subtle, delicate bouquet, and a dry, pleasant hint of almonds in the finish."

Winery website: None found.

Castellana Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2007

Wine: Castellana Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2007
Origin: Italy
Blend: 100% Trebbiano
Alcohol content: 11.0%
Bottle closure: Synthetic Cork
Purchase Date: August 2008
Purchase Price: $6.99

Taste profile from the winemaker: None found.

ABC Wines review: An extremely pale yellow in color, this wine has a very nice fragrance of tropical fruit and melon. The palate is equally pleasing, fruit forward, developing a clean mineral, slate-like character. The finish is long and smooth though possibly a bit too astringent. This wine may be served as an aperitif or with light dishes, even sandwiches. Our score: Trebbianos are meant to be consumed young, and this is a terrific value for a delicious wine. Above Average.

Winery website: None found. An image of the bottle could not be found.