WTN: Lazio

A white wine called Kadrai, 2005 vintage.

The grapes: 50% Albana dei Colli Romani, 50% Malvasia Rossa.

14% alcohol and at $16 per bottle.

Deep, deep golden color.

Reminds of an Italian bitter, with herbs and pineapple-like fruit, plus some light pear undertones. Maybe a little wood, certainly potential oxidative qualities, but not in a bad way, I think.

Not a man of skittish opinions, I am ambivalent about this wine. I kind of like it and kind of fear for its future--and it's so young. But then, it's my first experience with it...maybe I don't understand it.

I am told it is produced at a wine museum operation outside Rome, where they protect old grapes like Albana dei Colli Romani.

Robin will like this: it's a John Given import.

[James Roscoe]

I'm confused. Are you saying this has aging potential? I thought most Italian whites were meant to be sucked down at a young age.

James, you should find yourself a well made Fiano di Avellino with 5-7 years and rethink your idea. YUM! Of course not all fiano's are well made either. Also, 5-7 is not all that old. BTW, ever had a well aged marsanne?

James, you should find yourself a well made Fiano di Avellino with 5-7 years and rethink your idea. YUM! Of course not all fiano's are well made either. Also, 5-7 is not all that old. BTW, ever had a well aged marsanne?

Same thing with Falanghina.

Yes, James, some Italian whites can age well.

In my view, it's best to look at wines individually rather than to class them as something called "Italian" because all wines have their own individual cycles.
This particular wine seems to have been built to age, yet it already seems to have lived longer--by its color and texture--than it promises it can. That's what makes me ambivalent.

Oh, and there's a typo in my original post: it's 14% alcohol--I'll change that.