In Umbria, sweet white wines still reign

White wines with a subtle touch of sweetness do not get the respect they deserve. This delightfully fruity example from Umbria hovers on the boundary between fully dry and overtly sweet in a way that can be written off as unserious among Italian whites. It is seriously delicious though, with a succulent pearlike flavor profile that makes it an ideal partner for many of the acidic and bright delights from neighboring Tuscany, like panzanella or pappa al pomodoro.

Sweetness in white wines is often unfairly associated with the cheapest boxed wines, since a hint of sweetness can mask the weak flavors of low-quality grapes very effectively. However, there are some regions that have a longstanding tradition of making their wines taste faintly sweet simply because they like it. The Umbrian town of Orvieto, for example, has been known since the Middle Ages for a hyper-sweet dessert wine once prized by popes and kings. That historical association led the region to produce semi-sweet and faintly sweet versions using a similar mix of grapes, with the local grechetto and trebbiano varieties taking the lead in the blend.

This particular example of Umbrian wine is on the drier side. It tastes light, fresh, and just faintly sweet, at a similar level to that found in most Italian prosecco. This whisper of sweetness adds a dessertlike quality to its flavors of fresh-picked orchard fruits — think wine-poached pears with pistachio custard cream. Specific, but it works. This kiss of sugar also helps the wine partner brilliantly with foods that contain sugar or spice, from brunch classics to Asian sauces that have a kick.

Umbria, Italy; 12.5% ABV

PLCB Item #5724 — $10.39 through July 5 (regularly $11.39)

Also available at: Canal’s in Mt. Ephraim ($11.99; mycanals.com), Moorestown Super Buy Rite in Moorestown ($11.49; moorestownbuyrite.com), and Total Wine & More in Wilmington and Claymont, Del. ($11.49; totalwine.com).