The Orvieto White Blend is easily the most reputable wine from Umbria, Italy. The OrvietoDOC, which encompasses the town of Orvieto and its environs, is reserved purely for white wines and includes a large classico area, home to more-traditional producers. Traditional Orvieto DOC whites may contain Grechetto, Procanico (Trebbiano), Verdello (Verdelho),Drupeggio (Canaiolo Bianco) and/or Malvasia Bianca. Wines that fall outside of the DOC may contain "foreign" varieties.
Orvieto wines have a long history and the region's abboccato (off-dry) whites were once highly prized by popes and the nobility. Today, while sweet whites are permitted under DOC regulations, drier styles are far more common – no doubt a response to current market trends – although sweeter variants are still appreciated locally.
Traditional Orvieto DOC blends consist of a minimum of 40% Grechetto and 20 to 40% Procanico. The remainder is made up of Verdello, Drupeggio and/or Malvasia Bianca. Less-traditional blends that include foreign varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay or Rieslingfall under the lower IGT classification.
High-yielding Trebbiano is known for producing flavor-neutral, high-acid wines, which makes it ideal in the production of brandy. Where its proportions are too high, the wine may become bland. By contrast, low-yielding Grechetto is considered to be far more interesting, with distinctive nutty and leafy notes and richness. Thus there is a consensus that higher-quality Orvieto blends generally contain higher quantities of Grechetto, giving fruit and weight to the wines.
Modern-day Orvieto wines on the whole are dry and clean, with crisp acidity and pleasant peach notes. Flavors may also include white flowers and green and golden apples.