When the invite to attend an Umani Ronchi wine lunch at New York’s Del Posto recently arrived in my in-box, the only reasonable response was: Of course! Since opening in 2006, this 10th Avenue destination has found itself the recipient of more than a few swooning critical appraisals and a constant stream of dedicated guests. Couple that with a chance to pair the food with some of the best wines in Abruzzo and the Marche, and it promised to be an afternoon to remember.

Del Posto

I was not let down. The wines--both whites and reds--showed even better than I’d hoped they would. And, as is the case with so many great Italian wines, they were even more exciting with the food: As utterly delicious as the Umani Ronchi Montepulciano d’Abruzzo “Jorio” 2009 was on its own, for example, it achieved even greater heights alongside the Garganelli Verdi al Ragu Bolognese.

But for me, the wine of the day was a white, the Umani Ronchi Verdicchio Classico Superiore Castelli di Jesi “Vecchie Vigne” 2007, a deep, almond- and mineral-rich wine whose flavors ran the gamut from sesame paste to white licorice to kumquat and beyond. It is easily among the most exciting whites I’ve tasted in months--an absolute stunner.