Usually when one thinks of Italian wines our minds drift toward the obvious, Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Soave, and Primitivo, just to name the most popular. However, there are a plethora of grape varieties in Italy (over 800), and there are some fantastic wines that many of us have never had the opportunity to sample. One incredible wine that I recently sampled comes from the Umbria region, and is usually used as a blending grape. But I was able to sample this wine as a stand alone varietal, and it was wonderful. The Grechetto grape has its origins from Greece, but it has found a great home in the rolling hills of Umbria.
The 2009 Grecante Grechetto Dei Martana DOC has a nice yellow straw color in the glass, and the aromas are of honeysuckle, peaches, and citrus. The flavor profile was of honeydew melon, white peaches, limes, honeysuckle, some minerality, and just a hint of white pepper on the finish. This is a very nice light-bodied wine, with good acidity, and a refreshing finish. This wine would be wonderful as an aperitiff, or would compliment shellfish very well. If you can find the Grechetto as a stand alone varietal, by all means give it a try, you will be pleasantly surprised.

Jon