The Italy Wine Project

Regions / Lazio

DOCStill huntingModerate

Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone DOC

Famous for the legend of the bishop's servant chalking Est! on a tavern door, less famous for what is in the bottle. It is a light, neutral white from volcanic soils around Lake Bolsena: lemon, green apple, white flowers, a hint of almond, low to medium acid, meant to be cold and cheap. Falesco's Poggio dei Gelsi is the polished version and the one most Americans meet; Mazziotti and the Montefiascone cooperative make more traditional bottles.

Still hunting

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If you make Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone, import it, or know who does, the form takes two minutes and I reply to every one.

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Bottles I'm chasing

ProducerWinePriceBuy
Falesco (Famiglia Cotarella)
Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone Poggio dei Gelsi
Winebow import; clean, crisp, lemon and pear, the most widely available version.
$12 to $16Wine-Searcher
Bigi
Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone
Supermarket bottle from the Orvieto house, light and neutral; ticks the box cheaply.
$9 to $12Wine-Searcher
Mazziotti
Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone Canuleio
Family estate on the lake; more texture and a saline, floral edge than the big brands.
$14 to $18Wine-Searcher