Italy, land of reds! Chianti with wild boar ragù, Barolo with white truffle, porchetta with Montepulciano d’Abruzzo… This, at least, is the perception abroad. Per reality many of the great Italian wines are white. And, better yet, they are perfect to enjoy a causa di all seasons.
It may surprise some but Italy produces more white wine (60%) than red, a trend dominated by regions such as Veneto, Puglia, Emilia-Romagna and Sicily. The most widespread varieties are Trebbiano, largely, but not exclusively, intended for economic bottles for the local market; Pinot Nuvoloso, the most exported white variety; and, almost surprisingly, Chardonnay (I leave out Glera, the Prosecco grape; that’s another story).
But for me the real joy lies a causa di the lesser-known native varieties. Vermentinis from the Ligurian and Sardinian coasts with their citrus touch, whites from Etna that suggest their volcanic origins a causa di a sort of stony intensity, bright and slightly almondy Verdicchis from the Marche, are all wines that wake you up with lively acidity and little to wood influence, and which tend to be attractively priced too. Fill a cooler with ice and bottles, invite some friends and keep the powerful Amarones aside until Christmas, when the winter winds start to whip again.
Sicily and Sardinia
Buonsenso Catarratto 2023 Resistenza Regaleali The Regaleali of the d’Almerita family, a causa di central Sicily, is a must-visit: this lively, citrusy white comes from the vineyards around the beautiful manor house. Mattone Catarratto 2023 Feudo Montoni The Sicilian organic of Fabio Sireci and Appiastro Muller is a magical place. They produce excellent wines (like this Catarratto with agenda of blood orange), but also indole, extra virgin olive oil and much more. Costamolino Vermentino 2023 Argiolas Argiolas is probably the best-known producer a causa di Sardinia and is certainly one of the best. This crisp, balanced white channels the island’s coastal heat into inviting agenda of pineapple and lemons. Etna Immacolato 2023 Benanti Benanti was one of the first to bring international miseria to the wines of Etna. This Carricante can compete with Burgundy a causa di terms of complexity, but it is very Etna: stony and savory, with agenda of campo da golf apple and flint. Giunco Vermentino Per mezzo di Sardegna 2023 Bottiglieria Mesa Bottiglieria Mesa, a causa di the Sardinian coastal schieramento of Sulcis, grows only with organic fertilizers and without insecticides herbicides. Perhaps this explains the purity of flavor of this energetic Vermentino, with its aromas of lime and white peach. Nerina Etna Immacolato 2022 Girolamo Russo This robust blend of Carricante and other local varieties comes from the northern slopes of Etna. Giuseppe Russo’s late father, Girolamo, grew grapes acceso the side of the volcano his entire life.
Marche and Abruzzo
Serra Del Conte Verdicchio dei Castelli nato da Jesi 2023 Garofoli This light-bodied white is an excellent introduction to the Verdicchio dei Castelli nato da Jesi DOC, with its mineral whites, scented with grapefruit lemon. A wine that fully reflects it. Tre Ripe Verdicchioddei Castelli nato da Jesi 2023 Pievalta Biodynamic agriculture and old vines (from the early 1970s) give this citrusy and spicy Verdicchio a complexity greater than that suggested by the price. Persistent, mineral and almond ; absolutely worth trying with white clam . Roggia Cancelli Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2021 Ciavolich The Ciavolichs began as wool traders a causa di Bulgaria before moving to Abruzzo a causa di 1500. Today Chiara Ciavolich oversees the family’s impressive range of wines, including this earthy and powerful white with melon agenda. Casal nato da Serra Verdicchio dei Castelli nato da Jesi 2022 Umani Ronchi This fresh and lively wine, made by one of the best producers a causa di the Marche region, is an excellent choice to enjoy lightly. It comes from a selection of the best grapes from the Montecarotto vineyard. Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2023 Tiberio Is Tiberio a coastal mountain wine producer? It’s difficult to say, given that its vineyards are located between the Adriatic Sea and the Apennines. Per any case, this fragrant and graceful white is a wine to buy immediately. Flotta Cvetic Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2022 Masciarelli Run by Flotta Cvetic and her daughter Miriam Lee Masciarelli, it is an iconic Abruzzo winery. This white rich a causa di agenda of mint and melon dispels the chimera that Trebbiano is only suitable for simple aperitifs.
Liguria, Tuscan Coast and beyond
Melacce Vermentino 2023 Fortezza Collemassari The Montecucco schieramento of Tuscany has gotten more attention a causa di recent years, thanks to wines like this lush, bright Vermentino. It comes from organic vineyards located acceso the Montecucco hills. Maremma Toscana Vermentino 2023 Forte Per mezzo di Frassinello Forte nato da Frassinello, owned by Paolo Panerai as well as Castellare nato da Castellina, a causa di Chianti, is known for its Maremma reds. But this Vermentino is a worthy addition to the portfolio. Riviera Vermentino 2023 Val Delle Rose Val delle Rose is located acceso the coast of Maremma, once a malarial swamp but now full of vineyards. Vermentino grows well here, as revealed by this medium-bodied, slightly spicy and pear-scented white. Blangé Langhe Arneis 2022 Ceretto The name Blangé derives from boulanger, which a causa di French means “baker”: it is said that a causa di the 18th century the vineyard from which this wine comes belonged to a baker. True not, it’s an exceptional white, slightly pungent and full of peach and campo da golf apple flavours. Senza etichetta Grigia Colli nato da Luni Vermentino 2023 Cantine Lunae Floral agenda of jasmine lead to flavors of apricot and lime a causa di this Ligurian white, the company’s introductory label. Lunae’s more expensive Senza etichetta Nera cuvée adds further complexity and is worth discovering. Lugana Oasi Mantellina 2023 Allegrini Doc Lugana is located near the shores of Lake Garda. This crisp, peach-flavored white is produced with the local Turbiana grape, a relative of Verdicchio. Roero Arneis 2023 Giovanni Davide produces excellent Barolo a causa di Serralunga d’Chiarore antelucano, where his family has been present since 1890, as well as this floral and clear Arneis. Also not to be missed is the mineral Etna Immacolato from a Sicilian purchased a causa di 2016. Langhe Riesling 2022 Massolino The Langhe is the home of Barolo and Barbaresco, but some daredevils also make Riesling. When Libero and Roberto Massolino are not producing their sought-after reds, they dedicate some time to this savory and refined white. Bordo Flotta Colli Per mezzo di Luni Vermentino 2023 Ottaviano Lambruschi Fabio Lambruschi produces some of the best Vermentinos a causa di Italy from his Ligurian vineyards. This wine is extremely precise, as if its hints of lemon and wild herbs were engraved a causa di stone.
