Until last week, what I knew about the Italian grape variety, verdicchio, could have been written on the back of a very small wine label: a white grape with good acidity, grown mostly in the Marches region of Italy, making pleasant everyday drinking wines from the commune of Castelli di Jesi. To be frank, I was a bit snooty about it and thought about it in terms of producing modest, though enjoyable, white wines.

So, when an invitation appeared in my inbox for a vertical' tasting of verdicchio wines from the La Monacesca estate, I was more than a little curious.

The wines from La Monacesca are made in the undulating valleys of the Marches in the commune of Matelica (bordering Umbria). Well-exposed, north-south facing hillside vineyards and the lower yields imposed by the Matelica DOC give the wines from this area a richer, fuller style not found in the Castelli di Jesi.

Still, in years of wine-tasting I had not come across a single verdicchio that had given any hint that it was capable of long-term cellaring. This was a tasting about which it was impossible to have any preconceived ideas. Starting with the 2004 we were going to work our way back to 1993.

Never before has a tasting yielded such surprise and pleasure. As you would expect, each wine told its own story about the vintage condition, but what every wine shared was great structure, breadth of flavour and refreshing crispness.

For me the shining vintages were the 2004, 2001, 1999 and 1993. I think you would be forgiven for confusing the (not yet bottled) 2004 with a fine, flinty chablis. Still a little shy to reveal itself fully, I believe that the 2001 is an indicator of what may come: aromas of peach, orange, pear and herbs floral even and an elegant but persistent palate with finely matched acidity and a touch of caramel on the finish.

I found 1999 a textbook vintage, with not so much as a raindrop falling out of place. The wine doesn't disappoint, being truly delicious with real finesse and a finish that seems to go on to next week. Ironically, it feels newer' than the 2001 with super-zesty, lime and citrus fruits. Last, but not least, came the 1993.

Had I not known the vintage of this wine, I would have put it some ten years younger on the colour alone. I kid you not. The nose and palate were something else altogether, with fantastic complexity and development.

Still as fresh as a daisy, it contained many of the flavours of the younger vintages, which were combined with waxy, almost petrol-like overtones. I was completely and utterly bowled over.

These were truly the sort of wines that should have all wine-lovers rejoicing in the streets. Brilliantly made, full of character, great potential, only £13 a bottle and not so much as a scrap of oak on any of these wines! So, where do you find wines as interesting and endearing as these?

Go to Winetraders Oxford's very own Italian wine specialist, based in Witney.

Great wine lists are put together by people who love their wine, know their wine and generally have a focus on a particular place or country. Michal Palij, MW, is one such person and, since forming Winetraders some ten years ago, he has put together a mouth-wateringly brilliant range of wines from what he affectionately calls the boot'.

Michael is easy to interview he loves to talk and when you ask him why he chose to specialise in Italian wines, his response is so effusive you'd almost think he was Italian himself.

"Italy offers excitement and creativity there is always a sense of discovery and it has more variety than countries such as France," he said.

His reputation as a taster with a fiendishly good palate is not unjustified. As he says: "Everything on the list is the best I could find."

I quite believe him, and at a recent tasting not one of his wines disappointed. DOCG Greco di Tufo 2004 was fresh and minerally with pear and melon fruits (£10).

For those of you that think only New Zealand can come up trumps when it comes to sauvignon blanc, try the splendid Inama IGT Sauvignon "Vulcaia" 2004 (£11). La Casada IGT Primitivo 2004 is a steal with chunky, spicy red fruits (£6) and for sheer bliss I urge you to order the IGT Rosso del Soprano Palari 2002, which is just one of the most sublime reds I have tasted in a very long time (£17.50).

Winetraders is not an example of a slick, well-oiled retail outfit. However, as with so many things Italian, I can guarantee that you will be charmed by the staff, thrilled by the wines, and leave wishing you could have some more.

Winetraders Ltd, 3 TBAC Business Centre, Avenue Four, Station Lane, Witney, OX28 4BN. Tel: 01993 848777 info@winetraders.org.uk