Antinori Orvieto Campogrande '03

[Michael M]

The scene: Labor Day Weekend in Chicago: sunny skies, warm, balmy temperatures, a general feeling of lassitude not found pretty much the rest of the summer due to hyperbolically unseasonal temps (and large amounts of afternoon thunderstorms). Ah. Perhaps the best summer weekend of the year. Perhaps the only one of the year, really.

The wine: Antinori Orvieto Campogrande '03 Disclaimer: palate and nose may be affected by incredibly warm and sunny weather. Mineral citrus wafting from the glass, with an occasional flowery overtone (from the Malvasia?). Grapefruit and a bit of orange predominate, maybe some orange-blossom, it smells lean and slatey. Is that a word?

For $9, the taste that follows is nearly perfect for my palate: a light wine that floats around your mouth, the citrusy tang of grapefruit starts, with a very slight bit of sweetness to balance it out. All of it is grounded in a nice minerality, with a slightly bitter grapefruit-pith finish. Fruit, acids nicely balanced, and there's just enough off-dryness there to drink alone with some olives or the leftover salumi from Saturday night's dinner, but really great with the cold grilled shrimp from same dinner.

This is from the Orvieto Classico DOC.