Banfi makes some of Tuscany’s best wines and the price ranges from $8 to $100. And while you might expect me to rave about the expensive versions, I’m here to tell you that my favorite of their wines is also one of the cheapest. The wine is Fontana Candida Frascati.
The folks at Banfi claim that Frascati used to be the wine of the Popes, a polite way to say you had to be rich and powerful to drink it. They claim that at the election of Innocent X in 1644, “Frascati spouted from the fountains.”
In case you have never tried a Frascati before, it is a light white wine with complex aromas and a light acidity that makes it go well with anything that contains olive oil. For a perfect pairing, try it with some long pasta, olive oil, lemon zest, flat parsley, and Gulf shrimp.
A regular sized bottle of the wine will run you about $9. For those of you who like your wine in mass quantities, Fontana Candida also comes in 1.5 liter bottles for about $13. At these prices, don’t expect to find it a tiny boutique wine shop. Look to the major sellers for these wines. Even then, you may have to order it. Trust me and take the trouble. This is one of the wine world’s great bargains.
This article appears in July 6 • 2018.
