Summer freshness from Italy’s Umbria: Colli Martani Grechetto 2015

It is always interesting to see how Italian wines change from vintage to vintage, especially with the white wines.  Their subtle nuances may seem to come and go, but it’s the overall expression of light wines, perfect for summer enjoyment, that makes them most captivating.

One particular vintage comparison that is quite revealing is with Umbria’s well-known Grechetto varietal’s 2015 vintage, as compared to 2011 thru 2014.  For this, we compared bottles of “Grecante Grechetto” from Arnaldo-Caprai from 2015 and went back to notes from previous vintages.

Both the 2015 and previous vintage’s bouquets are like a Sauvignon Blanc, but the older ones have a little orange fragrance in the mix.  The 2015 is more focused on grapefruit and lemon.

Past vintages have a mid-palate that is balanced with crisp acidity plus traces of sweetness.  In 2015, it went more toward a zippy character that reminds of a sparkling wine with a finish that has a little brine and white pepper.  This is also a very clean finish with only a trace of sweetness.

This makes the 2015 a better pair with steamed clams and spritzes of lemon, but it is not as good with spicy food or as a wine to drink with no food at all.  But with shrimp cocktail, all the various vintages work quite well as hot weather refreshment choices.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that Umbria’s 2015 vintage, in general, are going to be crisp with more zip than previous vintages.  Fortunately, more tasting will be necessary to determine if this for certain!

The Colli Martani Grechetto can be found mostly at bottle shops and various internet sources.  But with a production level of 40,000 bottles, there is a chance that some of the big box stores may be getting these Grechettos in from time to time.

If you choose to compare the vintages, it’s a fun challenge to pick out the nuances.  And best of all, this Grecante Grechetto remains a really nice buy for about $15.

Serve chilled after 45 minutes in the fridge (50-55 degrees).  Don’t worry about leaving it out on the table to breathe a little.  This wine becomes more complex as it reaches room temperature and begins to show off its distinctive citrus components.