Cantina di Custoza, Lugana 2004, $9.99 - Cantina di Custoza was established in 1968 by an association of 83 local wine growers, passionate about their area and dedicated to making good wine. Today the winery has grown to 240 members. The vineyards are located on the moraine hills south of Lake Garda. This area is historically remembered as the battlefield where in the Rinascimento the army of the royal family of the Savoia fought for Italian independence against the Austrian army of General Radetzky. The nature of the terrain, which is of glacial origin, the ideal exposure and the privileged climatic conditions create a habitat that can be compared to a Mediterranean island. The Cantina di Custoza is located in the DOC area that bears the same name, where traces of viticulture date back to the Etruscan and Roman era. Approximately 60% of the production is sold in the region of Verona where Custoza and wine are synonymous. In recent years the winery has been increasing exports so as to make the wine known around the world as well. The color of the 2004 Lugana is a light, pale yellow. The taste is clean and fresh, with aromas of peach, yellow plum, thyme and sage, concluding with a long and refreshing finale. Perfect with seafood, appetizers and salami, it is also great as an aperitif.  March's White Wine Best Buy - Cases for only $97 all month.

 

Marco Felluga, Collio Bianco "Molamatta" 2003, $15.99 - Four generations of the Felluga family have been creating quality wines in the Collio area of Friuli for a hundred years. "Molamatta" is an uvaggio, or cuvée of 40% Tocai Friulano, 40% Pinot Bianco and 20% Ribolla Gialla. The name Molamatta is also that of the place where the vineyards for the production of this wine are located. The microclimate of the Collio provides an ideal habitat for grapes; it is protected by the Julian Alps on the north and open to the Adriatic Sea to the south. The soil was formed during the Eocene period, having alternating layers of loam, rocks (clay and limestone) and sandstone. As they say, "terroir is everything", and nowhere is that more true than here. The Pinot Bianco for Molamatta is fermented and aged for some months in small oak barrels; the other grapes are vinified in stainless steel vats. After blending, the wine is allowed to rest in bottle for several months. Golden yellow in color, Molamatta is characterized by a bouquet of exotic fruits when young, which evolves over time assuming hints of sweetness reminiscent of vanilla. It coats the palate with round flavors that nicely echo the aromas where they come together, and the prolonged finish gives an overall impression of great elegance. Serve to accompany vegetable, fish and egg dishes.

 

Bucci, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore 2003, $16.99 - The Bucci family has owned land and made wine in the Castelli di Jesi area as far back as the 1700's, and were originally from one of those very castles--Montecarotto. Their impressive heritage might have daunted a lesser man than Ampelio Bucci, whose first name itself has as its root ampelos, ancient Greek for "vine". He has succeeded in maintaining the best of tradition--old vines, wholly estate-grown fruit, the area's own varieties--while revolutionizing quite a few of Italy's traditional winemaking tenets--most notably, the old assumption that whites should be lighter, cooler and shorter-lived, and reds should steer clear of mellowness, liveliness and fish. His partner in excellence is an Italian genius of style and vision: oenologist Giorgio Grai. Not content with the estate's longtime standing as the benchmark for the appellation, Bucci and Grai have embarked on the arduous but rewarding course of officially certified, 100% organic farming. Their first steps in this direction were taken in 1999, and the EU's seal of approval started with the 2002 crop. The vines are very old, and vinification and élevage take place in an underground winery, whose naturally cool temperatures make refrigeration unnecessary. The wine is produced using both stainless steel and 40 year old Slavonian oak barrels, so as to fine-tune and micro-oxygenate the wine without yielding harsh tannins or wood aromas. Each of the distinct Verdicchio vineyards is vinified separately, then blended before bottling with the blend carefully orchestrated from vintage to vintage. Bucci Verdicchio is so complex and structured that bottling necessarily occurs very late, ensuring great natural stability and longevity. This light golden wine has a complex nose with an amply layered bouquet, reminiscent of vanilla, butterscotch and nuts. Mimosa and ripe Golden Delicious apples continue on the palate. Bucci Verdicchio makes an excellent match with hors-d'oeuvres, fish, soup of crustacean, light meats and light cheeses.

 

Vecchio Greppo, Salento IGT Rosso 2004, $7.99 - Here is a lovely red wine, full of soft, dark fruit flavors, at a bargain price. A typical Puglian blend, the poetically named Negroamaro here comprises 90% of the bottle, the balance being Malvasia Nera. Grown on clay chalk soils in the Salento district, where sea breezes ventilate the trellised vines, the grapes ripen to perfection late in the summer each year. Harvesting is done by hand, followed by destemming and light crushing. A soft pressing and cool fermentation (here's the break with local tradition) on the skins for a week or so result in a spicy, easy to drink, honest red wine that is uniquely representative of its grapes, its regional traditions and judicious modern winemaking. This wine can be served with a wide variety of foods, from poultry to roasts and venison, or medium-ripe cheeses. What a deal!  March's Red Wine Best Buy - Cases for only $77 all month.

 

San Fereolo, Dolcetto di Dogliani "Valdiba" 2003, $12.99 - It's hard to believe that the Valdiba is Nicoletta Bocca's entry-level Dolcetto, given the depth and complexity this wine exhibits. The only give-away is the price. With low yields and no wood treatment, she emphasizes the minerality of the terroir while still expressing the sheer vivaciousness of the grape. The region of Valdibà is a zone gifted for long-lived wines exhibiting tannins that begin to mature in the second year after the harvest. San Fereolo produces wine from old vineyards with naturally low yields, in this case the vines are between forty and sixty years old. The result is compelling: a nose of crushed berries and wet stone, a balanced palate of blackcurrant and spice, and a long almondy finish.

 

Tenuta di Capezzana, Carmignano "Barco Reale di Carmignano" 2003, $14.99 - Tenuta di Capezzana, an estate of more than 1600 acres, is situated in the Carmignano region of Tuscany, 16 miles west of Florence. Capezzana, which includes buildings dating back to the 16th century, was built for a member of the Medici family who married the Marquis of Canucci. After a series of familial successions, the estate eventually passed to the Contini Bonacossi family, which has lived on and managed the property for generations. This wine is produced from vines which grow in the ancient Medici Barco Reale or "royal property" mentioned in Cosimo de Medici's "Decreto Motu Proprio" in 1716. With this decree, Grand Duke Cosimo III set Italy's first laws establishing boundaries and production standards for quality wines. The 2003 Barco Reale di Carmignano is a blend of 70% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Canaiolo Nero and 5% Cabernet Franc. It is a wine of purplish, dark ruby red hue, with lightly spiced plum and berry aromas. Medium-bodied and pleasantly lively on the palate, its sweet tannins and acidity are in great balance with each other. This journey of flavors ends with a peppery, yet smooth, fresh finish. A great accent to meats, cheese and fish alike.

 

Varaldo, Barbera d'Alba "Vigna delle Fate" 2000, Was $37.99, now only $18.99--Save 50%! - Located in Barbaresco, a small village in Piedmont in the northwest of Italy, 60 km from Torino, 30 from Asti and 10 from Alba, Azienda Agricola Varaldo Rino is a young, family-run cellar with its roots firmly set in tradition. Today it is the third generation's turn to carry forward the production of wines, with a care and passion for the vine that has been handed down from father to son since the business was founded 50 years ago. The vines are currently grown on around 7 hectares (17 acres) of vineyards, tended under the guidance of Pier Mario Varaldo along with his sons, Rino and Michele. Production is focused on the red wines typical of the Langhe area, including Dolcetto d’Alba, Barbera d’Alba, Langhe Nebbiolo, Barbaresco and Barolo. The vines are trained using the Guyot system, with thinning of the bunches during the summer producing an optimal yield to obtain the highest quality each vintage has to offer. All of the substances contributing to a wine’s structure and richness are extracted in a very short time (4-5 days on the skins) using horizontal rotofermenters, which also provide an ever-appealing softness and roundness. The malolactic fermentation then takes place in French oak barriques (30% new and 70% used) where the wine stays for a period of  18 months for ageing. The 2000 Barbera "Vigna delle Fate" defines the standard of Barbera for this vintage. It shows aromas of tobacco, dried flowers and truffle and a palate that progresses brightly and juicily, ending on a note of cocoa powder.