2021 Ruffino Orvieto Classico. Italy, Umbria, Wine Review

Screw capped. This is an excellent value in white wine from central Italy. It is a blend of Grechetto 40%, Procanico 20%, and other white varietals (Verdello, Canaiolo Bianco) 40%. Light gold in color, clear and bright. The nose is nice with minerals, copper, dust, and apples. Not a lot of fruit from nice depth. It has a nice, slightly oily texture. On the palate, lemons with a slight candied note. Good minerality. Solid acidity. A bit of bitter almond on the finish. This drinks easy on its own and will work well with lighter foods. It would work well with a squash soup. Drink over the next year or two.

Grade:

B+

Score:

Vintage:

2021

Current Price:

$9.00USD

Italian Wine Regions: An Introduction

Italian wine regions and areas can be classified multiple times over, depending on the area, the climate, the history, the grapes, and through an infinite number of other ways. The following description of 7 Italian regions is meant to provide a basic guide, which will be supplemented in articles to come. The 7 regions consist of Veneto and Piedmont (to the North), Tuscany, Campania, Apulia, and the islands of Sardinia and Sicily (to the South).

Read full article

Sagrantino di Montefalco: From Umbria Comes The Best Red Wine You Never Tasted!

The region of Umbria sits landlocked in the center of Italy. With Tuscany to the Northwest, the Marches to the East and Latium with Rome to the South West, it is a beautiful region that sometimes gets lost in the conversations about Italy. Umbria has one wine that gets some international recognition; their famous white wine Orvieto. In fact, many agri-tourismo wineries surround the quaint medieval town of Orvieto which has become something of a destination for a few relaxing days while touring Italy. But, there is also a red, Sagrantino di Montefalco, which also hails from Umbria that is worth putting on your radar.

Read full article

Cirò: Calabria's Ancient Wine from the Toe of Southern Italy's Boot

The region of Calabria is the proverbial toe in the boot shape of Italy with a long history. Its first name was, in fact, Italia most likely derived from the Italic tribes who inhabited the region. They in turn most likely took their name from the word vituli which was the local word for the numerous caves which dot the mountainous area. The Greeks then came to the area bringing the art of winemaking. They called the area Enotria which meant “land where the vine is cultivated high above the earth.” There are records from the 4th century B.C. which indicate a vineyard in this area was worth six times the value of the same size field planted with grains. In fact, there is a group of people living today called the Grecanici who allegedly trace their roots back to Odysseus and the survivors of the Trojan War. The area was named Calabria in the 7th century by the Byzantines.

Read full article

Orvieto: Umbria’s Gothic Jewel

I have two important things to tell you about Orvieto. First, it’s one of my favorite Italian getaway spots. This city is more than a hilltown, more than a wine destination. Orvieto floats above a green Umbrian valley, perched atop a tufa outcropping that looks as though it came straight out of...

Read full article

Top Ten Italian Red Wines - 2016

I tend to taste and drink a lot of wine over the course of a year. I am in a few tasting groups, sometimes the wines are consumed at various local wine store tastings and a number drunk with friends and family.

Read full article

2021 Ruffino Orvieto Classico. Italy, Umbria, Wine Review

Food and Wine Pairing Tool

Related Articles

Italian Wine Regions: An Introduction

Sagrantino di Montefalco: From Umbria Comes The Best Red Wine You Never Tasted!

Cirò: Calabria's Ancient Wine from the Toe of Southern Italy's Boot

Orvieto: Umbria’s Gothic Jewel

Top Ten Italian Red Wines - 2016