Be Curious! Get to Know Italian White Wines

By guest blogger Vincent Yuen 隨意走，尋找甜蜜生活! Instagram @vincent.ms.yuen

Vincent Yuen is an Italian wine book author and a freelance editor. He holds a WSET Diploma, Italian Wine Ambassador, Certified Italian Wine Educator, Italian Wine Scholar, Sud de France Master-Level Certificate and SSI International Kikisake-shi qualifications. With extensive experience in wine education, he believes both rationality and sensibility are essential to tasting. In addition to wine tasting, he is also the official olive oil taster of O.N.A.O.O (Organizzazione Nazionale Assaggiatori Olio di Oliva), a Olive Oil Sommelier, and a member of Chaine des Rotisseurs.

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When it comes to Italian wines, the first thing that comes to mind is undoubtedly Italian red wines, such as Amarone, Barolo, Brunello, or Chianti.

But what about white wines? People may know about Prosecco and Asti. Those who have studied wine or taken tasting courses might also be familiar with several white wines like Gavi, Soave, Verdicchio, and Fiano.

The common impression is that Italy primarily produces red wines, with white wines making up a smaller portion. Today, let’s talk about Italian white wines.

In 2020, the production of white wines in Italy accounted for 57%, surpassing that of red wines, with the largest production region being Veneto. This is largely due to the unlimited consumption of Prosecco and Pinot Grigio during Sunday brunch. However, the situation of having more white than red wines is not limited to a single region. In Italy’s 20 regions, 10 are primarily focused on white wine production, namely Emilia Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Le Marche, Puglia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Veneto; additionally, Lombardia has an equal production of red and white wines.

These are the top 4 most-producing white grapes in Italy

1. Glera – 27,000 hectare

Glera is the main white grape used to produce Prosecco, primarily grown in the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions. After the 2008 financial crisis, Prosecco replaced Champagne as the most consumed sparkling wine in the world, leading to an increasing cultivation area.

2. Pinot Grigio – 25,000 hectare

Similar to Pinot Gris from France, it is grown throughout Italy, but is mainly concentrated in the northeastern part of the country.

The pronunciation of Pinot Grigio is easy, and its light flavor has won many hearts, making it an indispensable item on wine lists.

In fact, aside from Venezia DOC/IGT, Pinot Grigio from other regions tends to have a richer and more surprising flavor, especially those from the Friuli Venezia Giulia region.

3. Catarratto Bianco – 21,000 hectare

Catarratto Bianco is a native grape from Sicily, named for its waterfall-like growth ability. However, if carefully controlled for yield and planted in high-altitude areas, its acidity and flavor can be even better.

Catarratto Bianco is the main component of the fortified wine Marsala, but single-varietal dry white wines are also quite common now.

4. Trebbiano Toscano – 21,000 hectare

Many articles (including Wikipedia) mention that Trebbiano is called Ugni blanc in France and is often used for distillation into Cognac or Armagnac due to its poor flavor.

On a technical level, this is not accurate, as many grape varieties in Italy start with the name Trebbiano. Ugni blanc actually refers to Trebbiano Toscano, which was once the most widely planted grape but has seen a significant decline in production.

Other White Grape Varieties to Try

In addition, there are many noteworthy white wines from various regions of Italy, many of which are also quite common in Hong Kong. Below are some examples.

1. Arneis 

2. Verdicchio

3. Trebbiano Abruzzese

In the central region of Abruzzo, there is Trebbiano Abruzzese, and the wine zone is Trebbiano d’Abruzzo DOC. This is one of the grape varieties mentioned earlier that bears the name Trebbiano. Trebbiano Abruzzese exudes notes of lemon and peach, with a hint of white flowers. Its bright acidity and mineral character support a dense mouthfeel, reminiscent of Chablis that has not undergone barrel fermentation or aging.

Main region: Trebbiano d’Abruzzo DOC 

4. Falanghina, Greco, and Fiano

Falanghina, Greco, and Fiano are the three treasures of white wine from the southern region of Campania.

Falanghina is the most widely produced in the area, featuring refreshing acidity, delicate floral aromas, and aromatic spices, along with notes of apple, pear, minerals, and tropical fruits.

Main region: Falanghina del Sannio DOC 

Greco has a well-structured profile with bright acidity and a round, rich mouthfeel, accompanied by tannins and excellent aging potential.

Main region: Greco di Tufo DOCG 

Fiano offers aromas of linden and acacia blossoms, along with citrus, apple, and pear flavors, complemented by notes of herbs, hazelnuts, honey, and minerals, also with good aging potential.

Main region: Fiano di Avellino DOCG 

5. Carricante and Grillo 

6. Vermentino

Space is limited, but the varieties are endless. Let’s discuss more in the future.