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11/18/2002 Archived Entry: "Wine Buy: Banfi Le Rime 2000"

Banfi Le Rime 2000 is from Tuscany (Italy), and it is that rare inexpensive white wine: It has some character.

There are many white wines for $10 or less on the market, but most of them are uninteresting at best. They lack balance and finesse, they lack fruit and either have too much or not enough acidity. Le Rime delivers good fruit and enough acidity to give the wine backbone.

Banfi, the producer in Italy, has reached new and better levels in past years. Owned by American John Mariani, and with headquarters (and a Chardonnay vineyard) in Old Brookville, Long Island, Banfi was once known as the importer of Riunite Lambrusco, a sweet, fizzy wine that was the pop drink of the 1960s and ‘70s.

Nowadays, Banfi is a fine wine producer with a full line of stylish Tuscan wines, red, white, and yes, even sweet and fizzy. For the last, a great dessert wine, try Banfi’s marvelous Rosa Regale which used to be labeled Brachetto d’Acqui, the name of the grape variety.

Le Rime, our wine buy of the week, is a blend of 70% chardonnay and 30% pinot grigio. Carol Berman says it has everything you could ask for in a wine of its price range: “Lots of clean, citrusy fruit with the right amount of acidity to play and linger on the palate. It is no lightweight, and pairs well with chicken and fish dishes, as well as cheeses and simple salads. It is also a very quaffable wine on its own.”

Le Rime comes in a very attractive package, even more attractive, in Carol’s opinion, than its competitor in that well advertised blue bottle. “Put them side by side,” she says, “and you'll see which one takes the bow.”

Banfi’s Le Rime should be selling for $7.99 to $9.99.