In a country best known for its red wine, there are hundreds of Italian white wine grapes that deserve attention. Read on and explore with me! Many white wine varieties are indigenous to a single region or even a small district. These varieties work well in their particular locales. And, they tend to result in wines that have a special sense of place, based on factors such as climate, soils, and topography.
When people think of Italian white wine, they typically think Pinot Grigio. Sadly, it has a reputation as a “simple white porch pounder” wine. However, there are some great Pinot Grigio’s out there people just need to know how to find them.
There are many other lesser-known Italian white wine varietals deserving center stage. What better way to explore them than to leverage the knowledge of an expert? As I often do, my source for the wines in this post start with Chris Keel, Vinitaly Ambassador and owner of Put A Cork In It wine shop. His insights and tips launched my tasting exploration of all things Italian white wine!
Northern Italian white wine
Let’s get started in Northern Italy, Piedmont to be exact. This is the home of the Cortese variety, specifically in the region of Gavi (and labeled as such). Crisp, high acidity, lemon-limey, and grassy turning to apples and peaches when picked a bit riper.
The cooler climate of the Alps foothills can produce high-acidity wines. When too high, winemakers may let the wines go through malolactic fermentation (turning tart malic acid into softer lactic acid) to soften the acidity. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Roero and Arneis as other great Piedmont whites
Moving east, the Soave region of Veneto, near Alto Adige and Friuli, leverages the delicious Gaganega grape. Formerly known for bulk, flabby, high-volume wines, winemakers are changing the game. Controlled yields and more focused winemaking enhance the lightly floral, peachy, and juicy wine.
Spending a little time in oak barrels and some contact with lees (dead yeast cells post-fermentation) bring the fruit, moderate acidity, and plushness into balance. The transformation is much like Julia Roberts’ in Pretty Woman!
Central Italy wines
Moving South along the East Coast of Central Italy to La Marche is the Verdicchio die Castelli di Jesi DOC. As with the name of the region, the star of the wine show is Verdiccio. Super high acidity keeps these wines fresh, citrus with notes of lemon and grapefruit.
Looking a bit deeper, one finds green apples, herbaceous fennel, and raw almonds. I must admit Verdicchio is one of my absolute favorite Italian white wines. Best yet, it is often made into sparkling wine and you know I love a good sparkler!
Fiano, especially Fiano de Avellino, makes dry and sweet wines. Fiano is best known for its stone fruit, melon, and mango flavors. When the winemaker chooses to ferment or age Fiano in oak barrels, it takes on luxurious waxy, honeyed notes. Balanced acidity lets the fruit shine without overwhelming it. This is a food lover’s wine, but I’m perfectly content to pop the cork on a bottle and sit on the patio to enjoy.
Hailing from the wine region surrounding Rome, Lazio, Greco (Greco di Tufo) is well worth the hunt! With its green apple, stone fruit, and passion fruit flavors paired with high acidity, this wine is as lean as a Roman gladiator. Grown in volcanic soils, a distinct minerality and complexity round out the experience.
While long aging is not advised, 2-3 years in bottle, transform these wines with perfumed honey and toasted almond notes. Absolutely delicious!
White wines from the seaside
Vermentino: Italy’s Sleek And Sexy Seaside White Wine
Vermentino thrives in the maritime climate of the Italian peninsula, from north to south. Maybe it’s the salty air, or the ocean breezes, or the bounty of seafood, Vermentino reflects its place quite well. Of all these Italian white wines, minerality and salinity are most prominent in Vermentino. Serve me a bowl of seafood pasta or pasta with pesto, and of all Italian wines, Vermentino is likely the choice in my glass!
I could continue on for pages! Instead, I’ll encourage you to tune in to Somm Women Talk Wine podcast episode White Italian Wines: Exploring Lesser-Known Varieties with Chris Keel as Charisse and I interview THE expert! (Episode launches June 5th!) You don’t want to miss it!
Or check out my previous explorations of Italian wine, such as Falanghina (I love to drink ya, Falanghina!) in these posts!
ABSOLUTELY! Falanghina, Roero, Arneis, Trebbiano, Malvasia, Grechetto, Pecorino, Vernaccia, Orvietto and more. Your local wine merchant can steer you in the right direction!
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat, Riesling, and more are grown in Italy. They, too, are worth a try!
In the north, the Alps foothills provide elevation as well as cool evening temperatures both of which preserve acidity in the wines.
The Apennine mountains, which run north to south of the Italian peninsula also provide elevation, warm days and cool evenings and nights. This is called “diurnal shift”. Cooling breezes from the Tyrrhenian, Adriatic, and Ionian seas also help moderate temperatures.
