Don’t overlook Italian white wine

When the conversation turns to Italian wine, I immediately think of delicious reds like Chianti and Brunello. But Italy makes really good white wines, too.

Just about every corner of Italy produces excellent white wines. Many of them are based on local grapes of ancient heritage that make remarkable wines with a delicious difference.

What do you think? What’s your favorite Italian white wine for serious enjoyment? Talk about your favorites on Substack Chat!

Today let’s celebrate a collection of noteworthy Italian white wines that I’ve often enjoyed. Listed by region from north to south (with associate links to wine and vendor information from Wine-Searcher.com) they are:
Piedmont: Arneis, Timorasso
Lombardy: Trebbiano di Lugana
Friuli Venezia Giulia: Ribolla Gialla and Friulano
Liguria and Sardinia Vermentino
Tuscany: Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Umbria: Orvieto Classico
Marche: Verdicchio
Abruzzo: Pecorino
Campania: Fiano, Falanghina, and today’s featured wine for paid-tier subscribers, Greco di Tufo
Sicily: Grillo, Etna Bianco

Feudi San Gregorio’s vineyards are in Irpinia in the Campanian Appenines, a region whose ancient vineyards were described by ancient authors such as Pliny, Columella and Strabo.

We’ll save for another occasion Italy’s delicious white sparkling wines like Franciacorta, Prosecco, and Moscato d’Asti; and sweet wines like Sicily’s Marsala and Tuscany’s Vin Santo.

I’ll add a warning asterisk to Pinot Grigio from Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia: Soave from Veneto, Tuscany, and beyond; and other mass-market Italian white wines made with more attention to quantity than quality. Keep in mind, though, that there are exceptions to that rule, such as Pinot Grigio from Friuli’s Colli Orientale and its neighboring hillside regions, which are almost always worth seeking out. It’s never wise to condemn any wine genre without considering the delicious exceptions.

What’s your favorite Italian white wine for serious enjoyment? Talk about your favorites on Substack Chat!

This week’s tasting report has to be limited to our paid-tier subscribers, whose support helps cover the cost of wines like this excellent Greco di Tufo from Southern Italy’s Campania region. If you’re not a subscriber yet, I’d appreciate you joining in our support. Please consider the modest cost of subscribing to our paid-tier edition.