This is Sauternes-like in colour with a very floral bouquet of wild flowers and acacia honey, and warm and gentle flavours reminiscent of sun-warmed lemons picked fresh from the tree. It's so youthful on the palate, lively, fresh and juicy but still subtle and elegant, with a very fine, lacy texture. Racy and elegant, it is beautifully pure and finely-delineated. Francesco Valentini told me that the 2010 vintage was characterised by a warm winter, rainy spring and mild summer, producing wines with great structure.

(96+ points) Vivid straw-yellow. Knockout nose offers an exceptionally wide spectrum of aromas: fresh quince, tangerine, dried apricot, minerals and chamomile complicated by jasmine, lemon verbena and white stone fruits. Densely packed, utterly seamless and powerful, with slowly building, highly concentrated flavors of underripe pineapple, lime, wet stone and lemon custard. Wonderfully silky and complex but very backward today, with a laser beam of acidity providing lift and focus. Finishes energetic and extremely long, with repeating lemony minerality. This has all the elements for future greatness and is potentially the best Trebbiano d’Abruzzo from Valentini in years. -- Ian D'Agata