An excellent, and arguably less bland alternative to the omnipresent Pinot Grigio, Verdicchio can have a fine lick of lemon-lime acidity balancing good fruit weight on the palate. The best examples tend to come from Italy's Marche, and a few from the Veneto region. This is great 'alternative dry white' with which to break the monotony. Try it with a plate of real, fresh pasta like spaghetti Aglio e Olio.
Red fruits, spice and slightly gamey, smokey flavour. Tannins add a bit of structure but still soft. Finish is tart red fruit. Lots of flavour but won't overwhelm most meals. Great with aged cheeses.