91 POINTS: VINOUS - The 2020 Verdicchio di Matelica impresses with its spicy and floral bouquet, as ginger-laced peach and pretty spring flowers waft up from the glass. It’s soft-textured yet packed full of salty tension within, as sour lime and saline-mineral tones penetrate deeply, all lifted by vibrant acidity. This tapers off with a balanced lingering sweetness, offset by hints of sour citrus and wild herbs. Frankly, you’d be hard-pressed to stop at one glass. -Eric Guido
MISSION NOTES: Long an insider favorite among Italian diehards and aficionados, ColleStefano is one of the more romantic and iconic whites imported by our friend Oliver McCrum. The 2020 Verdicchio di Matelica is racy, vivid, and snappy on the palate, making it the perfect cocktail wine for your summer patio drinking. It's also excellent with all kinds of seafood dishes. Fermented and matured entirely in stainless steel (no oak), with no malolactic fermentation, it's fresh and electric on your palate. For those of you new to Verdicchio, think of it like a less-herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc. It is a great aperitif wine, and it soars with olives and toasted almonds. Who's ready to sit outside in the backyard now?!!