Italian Whites
Vintage image sourced on Pinterest
While working for an importer in the US, I had a delightfully creative Italian boss who came up with the idea to promote our Italian white wine portfolio as the “Great Whites,” shark-style. Picture a giant white shark’s head, jaw open wide around a cluster of wine bottles, jagged rows of pointy triangular teeth everywhere. It’s a memorable visual, which was exactly the point. Hopefully, you’ll remember it now too, since Italian white wines could certainly use some help in the memorability department.
In the same way that the best Italian dishes aren’t about complexity, but instead, about simplicity delivered with care and attention, Italy’s white wines aren’t known for bursting forth from the glass or clamoring for your attention. They’re more like that quiet friend who doesn’t speak often…but when she does, everyone listens.
Stuff to know
Italy’s reds have a tendency to hog the spotlight, leaving little room for the country’s quieter, subtler whites. But don’t let that fool you into thinking that all Italian whites taste the same, or that they’re in any way boring. If you’ve had the luxury of traveling to Italy, you already know this, since some meals and moments clamor for white wine, like one at a bistro in Sicily’s Taormina, where my husband and I ate our first raw gamberi rossi while sipping Etna Bianco on a terrace across the street from a cable car steadily transporting fellow tourists to and from the rocky beaches far below. Or when we ordered raw gamberi rossi again, this time fully aware of the sumptuousness were getting into, as we ate yet another outrageously delicious meal in Marsala, on the other side of the island, while drinking Nino Barraco’s briny Grillo that tasted like the city felt: wind-swept, sun-drenched and salty.
In a country surrounded by the sea, how could there not be delicious white wines? Italy is home to a vast amount of native grapes, and there are plenty of white varieties that are just as memorable, and usually much less expensive, than the reds. Ian d’Agata’s seminal work on the topic, Native Grapes of Italy breaks down 377 different Italian native grapes, while clarifying upfront that there are likely about 2,000 different native grapes in Italy…more than in France, Spain and Greece combined. Only Portugal competes with Italy in its dogged preservation of autochthonous grapes.
This tasting is intended to help us do our part, which is the tastiest role of all: buying, trying and learning about Italy’s white wines so that they’ll continue to be made with care and precision all over the great big boot.
I have to admit that this tasting was one of the most difficult I’ve had so far in its selection process. Whittling down Italian whites to just 6 wines for this tasting guide wasn’t easy. In an effort to highlight lesser-known styles, I didn’t include the juggernaut that is Italian Pinot Grigio, though of course I will give it a future home in a dedicated grape variety tasting. I didn’t include Italian Chardonnay, Italian Sauvignon Blancs or even wines made from autochthonous grapes that I love like Etna Bianco, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Grillo, Freisa, Falanghina or Pecorino (the wine, not the cheese). Instead, I zoomed in on Italian whites that should be available all over the world, as well as some of the country’s best known, and therefore most exported, styles, from Northern Italy’s Piedmont region to Campania’s sunny southern volcanic soils.
What to look for in this tasting
I’ve heard that all Italian whites taste the same, and while I disagree, I can’t say that I like getting them in blind tastings, since they tend to be quiet wines, especially when compared to ringers like Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc or White Burgundy. These are wines that ask you to lean in to listen to what they have to say.
Italian white wines each have their own nuances, but I can say that generally, they tend to have firm, persistently high acidity levels and often surprisingly rich textures, making them incredibly versatile and easy partners with food.
Texture, like body, is one of those wine words for which we borrow from other categories in attempts to describe what the tasting experience feels like. In texture’s case, words like oily, viscous, waxy, satin-y, or slightly scratchy and drying, like white tea, can all do the job for Italian whites. These are wines where texture tends to take the front seat, even over aromas and flavors, so it’s worth paying extra attention to how these wines feel as they glide across your palate.
Aroma and flavor-wise, citrus in all of its forms makes a consistent appearance, which is a helpful cue when you think about what you’d want to eat while drinking these wines. Treat them like a lemon squeezed over your plate. Bitter almonds tend to make an appearance in many of these wines, too, and while “bitter” doesn’t always sound appealing, think of it more like the pleasant bitterness that has a hand in most aperitifs, adding complexity and depth. Peach, apricot, golden apples, melons, saline, orange blossoms, honey, lemon verbena and various herbs all play their roles in these romantic beauties too.
The wines
#1: Soave
We served the last bottle of one of our favorite producer’s Soave (”swah-vay”) wines to friends the other night, and my formerly red-wine-drinking husband almost stopped me from chilling it, already a bit sad that it would be the last one from that vintage and that babymoon trip to Verona that we’d get to enjoy. Mind you, we still have other Soave wines from Suavia and even more from other producers from that vintage. We even served a Suavia Recioto di Soave dessert wine alongside a Spring-y rhubarb crumble for dessert, a wine that the three sisters of Suavia open to celebrate when there are new births in the family.
Soave is the name of a wine region east of Verona, abutting Valpolicella. The region shares its name with the medieval town at its heart, where the crenellated Castello di Soave and its crumbling walls offer a panoramic view over the region’s rolling hills striated with vines. The local grape variety that comprises the majority of these wines is Garganega, a grape that is one of the oldest documented in Italy, long prized for the quality of the sweet wines made from its dried grapes. Modern Soave is typically dry, though there are still small amounts of sweet Recioto di Suave wines made from dried grapes today.
Most Soave wines are made from 100% Garganega grapes, though DOC and DOCG regulations allow for up to 30% of Trebbiano di Soave, a grape better known as Verdicchio in other parts of Italy. Outside of the DOC and DOCG, there are some regional wines made with Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc in the blend, a holdover from a period when some winemakers chose the world-famous Chardonnay to help sell their wines on the global market, rather than leaning into the uniqueness that is Garganega.
Garganega can make wines built to age, though they’re plenty delicious upon release, too. Most are made in stainless steel tanks without any contact with oak, but there are some made with concrete eggs or old oak barrels that have more roundness and weight. Soave’s aromas are subtle, with lime zest, white flowers, beeswax, apricots, melons, and sometimes golden apples or a hint of bitter almonds, and it’s on the palate where they really shine. The bright acidity practically vibrates while a firm minerality underlies an often surprisingly silky, almost oily texture that can even veer into viscously soft and suede-like in some of the weightier DOCG wines.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Stick with a Soave Superiore DOCG or Soave DOC wine from Soave Classico or Soave Colli Scaligeri, or try a Gambellera DOCG or DOC Bianco di Custoza
#2: Vermentino
I can still remember my first experience with Sardinian Vermentino (”ver-men-tee-noh”), and how struck I was by the salinity. Tasting minerality in all of its forms is hotly debated in the wine industry, but saltiness, at least, is something we can all agree on. Vermentino, to me, tasted like drinking the sea, in the best way possible.
Vermentino is the grape’s best-known moniker, though like many Italian grapes, it goes by many names. Thanks to Ian d’Agata’s thorough research, we know that in Piedmont, it’s known as Favorita, while in Liguria, it’s Pigato. In Sardinia, where it’s the island’s signature white grape, it can go by Vermentino di Alghero or Vermentino di Gallura, where the latter is extra notable for being a DOCG, the highest quality wine classification in Italy. In Southern France, Vermentino goes most often by Rolle, though in Corsica, Vermentinu is preferred.
Suffice it to say that Vermentino gets around. Mostly around the Mediterranean, which seems to lend the grape its salty clarity. It thrives in coastal vineyards in Sardinia, Tuscany, Sicily, Liguria, Umbria, Lazio and even Abruzzo, over on Italy’s Adriatic side.
Beyond their signature saltiness, Vermentino wines tend to have a vibrant, firm acidity, though they have more body and texture - that signature Italian white wine characteristic - than you might expect if you’re accustomed to sipping on Sauvignon Blanc. Vermentino wines tend to have a bit of weight, almost an oiliness, like you’d find on the peel of grapefruit or from bitter almond oil. Flavor-wise, citrus fruits like lime, lemon and white grapefruit tend to jump to the forefront, though there can also be peachy, apple-y and floral aromas and flavors. Some producers opt for lees stirring or allowing their wines to undergo malolactic fermentation, adding a creaminess that adds further weight to the grape’s natural oily texture.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Stick with a Vermentino from Sardinia or other Italian regions, where it can go by Vermentino, Favorita (Piedmont) or Pigato (Liguria)
#3: Verdicchio
Verdicchio (”vehr-dee-kee-oh”) makes an appearance in many Soave wines, where it goes by Trebbiano di Soave, but it shines solo in the Marche, as well as other parts of the Veneto and Lombardy. Its best-known rendition is as Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, a mouthful of a name, which holds DOCG status, though Verdicchio di Matelica, also a DOCG in the Marche, is just as delicious and often fuller-bodied.
Verdicchio gets its name from the grapes’ color, “verde,” or green grapes. It’s an apropos name beyond the grape color though, since many of the wines offer a bitter green almond flavor that veers toward sweet almond or marzipan in riper versions.
Verdicchio is incredibly versatile, and is used to make both simple and age-worthy still wines as well as sparkling ones. It’s one of the Italian whites that can handle some oak, even small amounts of new oak on occasion. Most Verdicchios are made in stainless steel or concrete vessels though, aiming for freshness over the vanilla-y roundness oak aging imparts. Lees stirring is common, adding some creaminess texturally.
Beyond the almond, aromas and flavors of lemon, fennel, white flowers and peaches are common, while aged Verdicchio often has a smoky, flinty characteristic, much like Pouilly-Fumé. Perhaps this is why Verdicchio proposed as an Italian alternative to Sauvignon Blanc.
What to ask for: Ask by style name
Alternative(s): Stick with a Verdicchio-based wine, preferably from the Marche, where Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi and Verdicchio di Matelica are made, or a Verdicchio from Lombardy, or a 100% Trebbiano di Soave
Alternative(s): Austrian Chardonnay
#4: Fiano
In Campania, roughly the instep of Italy’s boot, Fiano (”fee-yah-noh”), one of Italy’s oldest grape varieties, makes its home. While Fiano enjoyed ancient fame, it nearly went extinct in the early 20th century, and it’s only thanks to Antonio Mastroberardino from the eponymous winery that it’s widely available again today.
Fiano, like Verdicchio, is made in a range of styles, from light to full-bodied, simple to age-worthy. The best-known Fiano wines are called Fiano di Avellino, so much so that the style is nearly always discussed as Fiano di Avellino, the DOCG in Campania, rather than just as Fiano.
Like other Italian white wines, Fiano is not particularly aromatic, and instead is all about texture. These wines are sumptuous, viscous, and even waxy in their weightiness. Firm, high acidity levels keep Fiano wines from feeling too heavy, instead giving them a pleasant contrast that keeps you coming back for more. Aroma and flavor-wise, you can find peach, pear, melon, orange blossom and sometimes hazelnuts and honey.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Stick with a Fiano-based wine, preferably a Fiano di Avellino, or look for a Fiano wine from other Italian regions like Puglia, Basilicata or Sicily
#5: Greco
Greco (”greh-coh”), the grape, is almost always discussed as Greco di Tufo, the wine and DOCG in Campania. While Greco is grown in other parts of Italy, it’s in the tufo, or tuff, soils comprised of fine particles that are part of volcanic eruption, blown through the air and settled into layers that harden over time into rock. In Campania, tuff was quarried for building stone, and one town where this went on took the name Tufo, which later gave its name to the local wine and DOCG, Greco di Tufo.
Greco is planted in other parts of Italy, but no other region can claim Greco like Campania and its famed Greco di Tufo. Unusually for an Italian white, these wines are not just richly textured but aromatic, too. Aromas and flavors range from orange blossom and honeysuckle to peach and ripe pears, often with a honeyed finish. Even with all of this flavor, texture still takes a front seat though, since these wines are big, rich, oily and even grippy with tannins that feel much like a white tea. They also tend to have high alcohol levels that further contribute to their weight, though a firm, moderate acidity helps to keep things in balance.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Stick with a Greco-based wine, preferably Greco di Tufo
#6: Arneis
In Piedmontese dialect, Arneis (”ar-nays”) is a word for rascals; as in, the kind of people who drive others nuts, rather than the Little Rascals variety. This moniker is thanks to the fact that Arneis vines can be a pain to work with, finicky and prone to disease and pests. Luckily, the wines are delicious enough to be worth the trouble.
Arneis hasn’t always been vinified solo as a white wine, and has only recently experienced a revival. It used to be blended into red wines, even Barolos, much like Viognier is blended into Syrah in the Northern Rhône, to add aromas and texture as well as a softening effect and color stabilization. The Roero, just north of Barolo and Alba, is where Arneis makes its home, an area that has also earned a DOCG for its Roero Arneis wines, which have been recognized as some of Italy’s greatest whites.
Arneis wines tend to be aromatic, with aromas of orange blossom, candied orange peel, white peach and lime. They have moderately high acidity, but they’re not known for being refreshingly zippy white wines, rather, they’re better known for their rich, almost oily texture that swishes across the palate.
What to ask for: Ask by name, preferably a Roero Arneis
Alternative(s): Stick with an Arneis wine from Piedmont, like a Roero Arneis, or Langhe Arneis, Terre d’Alfieri Arneis
Tasting tips
The eats
I busted out my pasta machine recently to make some Tagliolini for a white fish ragù with lemon & capers, a recipe from Meryl Feinstein’s Pasta Every Day cookbook. It isn’t exactly warm here in Copenhagen yet, but cod is commonplace and the increasing levels of sunshine are making me ache for fresh, briny foods that feel like a seaside summery day.
This recipe, along with plenty of other styles of seafood pasta, are the ideal companions to Italian white wines. If anything, most seafood pastas will use wine in the sauce, too. Dishing up a seafood pasta at this tasting will artfully blur the lines between where the wine ends and the food begins.
If you take the charcuterie route, look for sheep and goat’s milk cheeses like Pecorino Romano, Ricotta salata or Caprino, and add some salamis, olives, roasted red peppers, pine nuts, dried apricots and figs and almonds. For a more adventurous charcuterie experience, consider dipping into tinned fish, oysters and mussels, creating a “seacuterie” tasting alongside these wines.
The prep
Italian white wines are often under-valued and appreciated, especially since they live in the shadow of Italy’s great reds, so the wines for this tasting will likely be highly affordable, weeknight-style finds. Even with new tariffs looming, Italian white wines should still be competitively priced.
Some of these wines will be easy to find, others might take some time, depending on where you live. It’s worth giving your guests at least 2 weeks to find their wines for this tasting.
Encourage your guests to give their wines some pre-tasting fridge time, since this is a tasting where it’s best if the wines are chilled…but not too chilled. Lightly chilled is generally the goal here, so if the wines didn’t get their fridge time before arrival, just keep the ice bucket dunk time brief, since you’ll want to enjoy the texture, not just the flavors, of these wines and that’s difficult to do when they’re ice cold.
A note on the tasting order: The wines are listed in the order of which should be included first, so that if you have fewer than 6 guests/wines, you’ll still have a well-rounded experience ahead. However, the order in which you taste the wines, regardless of how many wines are included, is recommended as follows:
Verdicchio
Vermentino
Soave
Fiano
Arneis
Greco
Sources
D'Agata, Ian | Native Wine Grapes of Italy
