Exploring Italian White Grapes Beyond Pinot Grigio!

Picture it: A hot (perpetual Summer) day in the Caribbean and the desire for a glass of a crisp and refreshing white wine to pair with a delightful chicken salad, a creamy pasta or a freshly grilled fish dish at a restaurant by the sea or with a relaxing country view. What is the first wine that you will choose from the menu?

It’s probably a no-brainer for many to choose an Italian Pinot Grigio…. Pretty much the standard white of the 2000s. I mean, there is nothing wrong with Pinot Grigio, a grape that produces one of Italy’s most successful wines. Its rampant success in the 1980s, ‘90s and early 2000s continues to this day, often thought of as a crisp, classic and crowd-pleasing white wine. But across the more than 718,000 hectares of grape vines grown across Italy, from Trentino Alto-Adige through Vittoria (Sicily), there are many more white grape varietals that speak to the diversity and terroir of the world’s number 1 wine-producing country in 2022 (interestingly, France has taken over this ranking in 2023)!

With Italy’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry recognizing over 350 indigenous grape varieties used in commercial wine production, there is so much variation across the 118 IGT and 408 DOC & DOCG wines. In reality, there are estimations of somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 wine grapes across the country, the majority making wine on small scale and rarely seen on shelves within and outside the legendary boot.

Here is a taste of some of Italy’s fascinating, distinctive white grape varieties. Many are reasonably priced, great values and equally as (if not more) gastronomically friendly as Pinot Grigio.

Cortese. Originating from the Gavi region of Piedmont, this high-yielding white grape is best-known for producing Gavi DOCG and Gavi di Gavi DOCG wines (from grapes grown within the municipality of Gavi itself). Gavi has earned its reputation as the "Chablis of Italy", with most early-drinking styles showing restrained elegance; moderate intensity aromas of white flowers, citrus and apple/pear, often with high acidity, medium body, and often a mineral-driven finish. Some top wines can be aged in barrel for added texture (Riserva wines) and oak characteristics, or in bottle, developing more complexity with tertiary notes. Gavi, made predominantly from Cortese, showcases a restrained elegance that marries harmoniously with its surroundings.

Vermentino. This grape is found in significant plantings on Sardinia, Liguria and Tuscany, known as Favorita Bianca/d’Alba (Piedmont), Pigato (Liguria) and Rolle (Southern France). Vermentino can produce wines with moderate to relatively intense aromas and flavours, ranging from white florals and citrus through to riper examples showing tropical fruit, relatively high acidity, and mineral and saline finishes. The most important styles are Vermentino di Sardegna DOC and Vermentino di Gallura DOCG, along with other popular styles found across Maremma, Tuscany.

Passerina. This grape is grown in the Marche and Abruzzo, possessing a naturally high acidity which can be quickly lost once full mature. Passerina has good disease-resistance and high production quantities and, when well managed in the vineyard, produces single-varietal wines with ripe lemon and yellow apple fruit aromas and flavours.

Trebbiano. Italy's most planted white grape with widespread cultivation across various regions (e.g. Veneto, Abruzzo and Tuscany amongst others). Known as Ugni Blanc in France (mainly used in Brandy production), it is vigorous and high-yielding, and ripens well while retaining high acidity. Trebbiano wines are typically neutral in aromas and flavours, (lemon and herbs), and have an array of expressions from crisp and light to rich and textured. In addition to producing many dry wines, Trebbiano is used in sweet wine production, and is an important part of the blend for sweet Vin Santo.

Garganega. The historic white grape of the Veneto, Garganega vines are vigorous and very productive. The wines typically have high acidity levels, a medium body and medium aroma and flavour intensities of lemon, apple/pear, white pepper and, in the ripest examples, stone fruit. Some high-end examples are oaked and, if allowed to age, developing aromas and flavours of almonds and honey. The main grape variety in Soave DOC, Soave Classico DOC and Soave Superiore DOCG dry wines, as well as sweet wines made by the appassimento method, Recioto di Soave DOCG.

Greco. The word means “Greek” in Italian, with most people believing that the Greeks brought the grape to Campania. With vines that are low in vigour and productivity, the grape produces wines with intense floral, stone fruit and smoky (and sometimes honey) aromas and flavours, high alcohol and an oily texture (similar to Viognier). When grown in the town of Tufo, the resulting wine is labelled Greco di Tufo DOCG.

Carricante. Indigenous to Sicily, this is the main variety used in Etna Bianco DOC, typically blended with Catarrato and Minella Bianca. It is very high-yielding and produces wines that, in their youth, offer fresh and lightly fragrant aromas of lemon, herbs and florals notes, with high acidity and medium alcohol and minerality on the finish. Carricante also produces ageworthy single-varietal wines, requiring time in the bottle in order to fully develop intoxicating aromatics and rich fruit flavours supported by high acidity and intense minerality.

In the spirit of the New Year, be inspired to try wines from one of these grape varieties, and to continue exploring the wine-producing regions in North, Central and South Italy for even more possibilities!

P.S. If you are going to keep drinking Pinot Grigio (as you should!), try bottlings from Friuli- you will be blown away!!!