Italy offers an amazing array of wines from nearly every region, made from a legion of grape varieties. Here are five delicious whites - including a bargain sparkler - to get you started on your explorations.
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Argiolas Costamolino Vermentino di Sardegna 2015
GREAT VALUE Three stars.
Sardinia, Italy, $16
Wow. Fresh and bursting with orchard-fruit flavors, this lovely wine sings for seafood. In recent years, vermentino has caught on in Virginia, and this wine helps explain why. Alcohol by volume: 14 percent.
Tenuta di Tavignano Villa Torre Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi 2014
GREAT VALUE Two and a half stars.
Marche, Italy, $14
Apricot and peach flavors make this wine refreshing and delicious, while a nutty bitter-almond finish adds length and complexity. ABV: 13 percent.
Cantina del Taburno Falanghina del Sannio 2014
Two and a half stars.
Campania, Italy, $17
Falanghina is thought to be the grape of the famous wines from Falernia in Roman times. The Taburno shows firm acidity that allows the underlying fruit flavors to emerge with a little patient coaxing; this is a white wine to consider decanting an hour or more before drinking. (If it's refrigerator-cold when decanted, the time will allow it to warm to the ideal temperature.) I actually preferred it the second night after opening. It's rich enough to pair with semi-soft cheeses such as mozzarella. ABV: 13 percent.
I Stefani Stefanini Il Selase Selese Soave 2014
Two stars.
Veneto, Italy, $16
Tart apple yields to ripe peach flavors in this refreshing and attractive white wine. Great as an aperitif or with lighter fare such as salads and smoked fish. ABV: 12.5 percent.
Elisabetta Abrami Franciacorta Brut
GREAT VALUE Two stars.
Lombardy, Italy, $23
Franciacorta generally starts at around $30, so to find one in the low $20s is quite rare. This example, made from organically grown grapes, is crisp and delicious, a refreshing bubbly to start an evening on an elegant note. ABV: 12.5 percent.
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