How many times have you opened a cold bottle of white wine, only to find that it didn’t have much taste? The problem could have been that it was simply too cold. When over-chilled wines warm five to 10 degrees, their aromas and flavors begin to emerge. That’s why in restaurants, I almost always politely decline a waiter’s invitation to put my wine in an ice bucket, preferring to let it sit on the table and warm up as I drink.

I thought about this recently as I opened a bottle that had sat in my fridge all day at 38 degrees. When I twisted off the screw cap and poured myself a glass, my first impression was that this was an innocuous, inexpensive Italian white that wasn’t worth paying attention to. I left it on my kitchen counter.

Get the latest in beer, wine, and cocktail culture sent straight to your inbox.

When I returned a little later and decided to give it a second chance, the wine was very different. Now, the deep chill was gone and the wine was just cool. As I tasted it again, it was far more expressive.

It turns out that Citra’s 2017 Trebbiano d’Abruzzo has a lot going for it. Trebbiano is the dominant white grape in the Abruzzo region east of Rome on the Adriatic coast, known for producing uncomplicated and quaffable light white wines that are enjoyable with fish, shellfish, or on their own.

Citra’s Trebbiano certainly falls into that category and, served not too cold, it becomes more than that, showing good complexity with lemon and green apple tastes, accented by floral and herb notes and a long, citrusy, and slightly creamy finish.

It’s also a real bargain, with a suggested price of $10 but available for as low as $7 or so, making it a good choice as an easy-drinking house wine or party wine. And with 450,000 bottles produced, you should have no problem tracking it down. The region’s main red wine, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, is often a good value as well.

Buy This Wine Online

Find This Wine Near You