A Regional Tour of Italian Whites

By: Eric Guido

I remember a time when I would tell people that I only liked “Red” wine. I still hear people say this from time to time and it makes me smile. The idea that there’s something inferior or less enjoyable about white wine, is now humorous to me. It all started with a glass of aged Riesling. With time, Sauvignon Blanc joined my list of favorites. However, what I was truly missing was the vast array of unique whites wines that are made in my favorite wine producing country, Italy.

Most countries specialize in a few white varieties, while some can claim to produce four to six worth exploring. Italy, on the other hand, produces more unique white wines than I could possibly keep track of. Each region of Italy boasts a number of white wines proudly. To list them all would be exhaustive, and likely prove impossible.

However, nothing makes me happier than knowing that I can call upon Italy to fill all of my white wine needs. Especially as summer approaches, having a selection of different Italian whites, promises that you will always have a wine to pair with just about any meal you can dream up. From light and refreshing, poolside sippers, to big, rich wines that crave a serious meal, and everything in-between.

Below you’ll find Italian whites from eight different regions, along with a brief description of its style, a tasting note and what I would pair with it. Enjoy.

Valle d'Aosta  (Muscat) This wine may not be what you'd expect from a typical Muscat (usually with a hint of sweetness), yet it's well worth searching out. This dry style of Muscat shows beautiful floral notes on the nose, which carries well into the finish. A classic Italian treat, Melon and Prosciutto would be an excellent pairing partner for this highly expressive wine.

2011 Maison Anselmet Muscat - The nose was exotic and intense with spicy floral notes, ripe peach and minerals. On the palate, it showed inner floral notes, flower petals; soft pit fruits and beautifully balanced with a long floral finish. Beautiful. (90 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Friuli (Pinot Grigio) If you're still drinking Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, I beg you to stop and explore a little. Although this wine isn't a textbook example of the variety, it is one that will show you what Pinot Grigio is truly capable of. The Vie di Roman Pinot Grigio spends extra time fermenting on the skins, giving it a copper hue, a unique set of aromas and a weighty presence on the palate that has to be tasted to be believed. As for a pairing, a plate of pasta dressed with pesto sauce would be a perfect fit.

2010 Vie di Romans Friuli Isonzo Pinot Grigio Dessimis - It showed a slight copper tone in the glass. The nose was slightly restrained on the '10 Pinot Grigio Dessimis, yet with gentle coaxing revealed peach skins, underripe nectarine, and yellow flowers. On the palate, it was medium-bodied with white stone fruits, flower petals, and a bitterness that combined with the wine's acid structure to create a lovely balance. The finish showed a dry, structure which leads me to believe that a few years in the cellar will be required to show this wine's true colors. (92 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Trentino Alto Adige (Gewürztraminer) Slowly becoming one of my favorite white wines, Gewürztraminer, shows such a unique floral spiciness with a weighty, almost oily presence on the palate. With a hint of sweetness, these wines make the perfect companion to spicy Chinese, Thai and Indian curries.

2011 Kellerei-Cantina Tramin Gewürztraminer Alto Adige - Südtirol Nussbaumer - The nose showed tropical fruits, spice and stems with a hint of balanced sweetness and floral notes. On the palate, it was rich, but not overwhelming, with an oily texture followed by notes of peach, pear and spice. The finish lingered long with spicy inner floral tones and peach slowly melting away from the palate. (92 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Liguria (Bosco and Albarola) The wines of this tiny region are so impacted by the coastal influences of the neighboring Sea, that you can practically taste it in the wine. Imagine sitting at the beach on the Ligurian Riveara, during a beautifully sunny day, and the wine you put to your lips completes the moment--That's Cinque Terre. I would pair this with a fresh batch of fried calamari with just a twist of lemon and pinch of salt.

2009 Campogrande Cinque Terre - The color was yellow-gold and very pretty in the glass. On the nose, i found apricot, grapefruit, a spritz of lime; followed wet minerals, herbal tones and raw almond. On the palate, it seemed almost weightless carrying the floral notes from the bouquet into the mouth, with notes of grapefruit, orange peel and a bitter twinge that puckered the cheeks. The finish started dry with a bitter citrus note, but soon made the mouth water and left me feeling completely refreshed. (90 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Emilia Romagna (Malvasia & Trebbiano) Another truly unique wine that continues to open up in the glass, the La Stoppa Trebbiano Ageno is far from your average Trebbiano. The nose explodes with layer after layer of exciting aromas while it dominated, and then refreshed the palate. For me, a great pairing would be a mixed greens salad with citrus vinaigrette.

2007 La Stoppa Ageno - The nose showed lush ripe apricot, spicy florals and potpourri with a dark and soothing character that drew me in. On the palate, it showed an initial burst of acidity and almost fizante style, yet it settled with time in the glass and revealed a juciy mix of bitter citrus pith, dried orange, and inner floral notes that lasted through the long finish. My first few sips of this wine deceived me, with time it blossomed to show it’s hidden beauty. (91 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Sardegna (Vermentino) Sardinia is an Island off the western coast of Italy, which is just as effected by Spain as it is Italy. Vermentino is a highly aromatic, medium bodied wine with zesty acidity that pairs beautifully with grilled fish, especially Sea Bass.

2011 Nuraghe Crabioni Vermentino di Sardegna - The nose showed citrus with sea minerals, and almond skins. It caressed the palate with soft textures showing white fruits, which turned tart through the medium-length, juicy finish.(89 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Calamari in Zimino

Abruzzi (Trebbiano) Another Trebbiano, but I had to include it, as this is not your average Trebbiano and should be on your bucket list of Italian wines. The Valentini Trebbiano demands your attention with earthy minerals and beautiful notes of the coast. These wines can be enjoyed young but really shine with a little age. My favorite pairing for this wines is Zuppa di Pesce, or one of my own recipes Calamari in Zimino.

2007 Azienda Agricola Valentini Trebbiano d'Abruzzo - The nose showed lemon with minerals and sea tones, followed by earthy schist and green stems. On the palate, it was clean and balanced with soft citrus tones, followed by notes of ripe melon and stone. The finish was pure with mouth-puckering acidity ushering through flavors of citrus and stony minerals. (93 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Sicilia (Grillo) Sicily is like a nation onto itself, with multiple climatic regions throughout the island. The wines here also take on a very different personality. Grillo, is an aromatically intense wine with a medium-bodied texture, hint of sweetness and intensity on the palate, which opens up many opportunities for pairings. Grilled seafood, rich chicken dishes and moderately spicy asian cuisine would all pair well with this Sicilian native.

2010 Feudi del Pisciotto Grillo Carolina Marengo - The wine showed a golden-yellow color in the glass with intense, spicy florals notes with ripe white fruits. On the palate, it was rich, with oily textures showing peach and inner floral tones with zesty acidity, which kept it clean and juicy throughout the finish. (89 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

** The best part about this tasting were the people I enjoyed it with. This Italian White Wine tasting was hosted by Snooth for their "People's Voice Wine Awards". My tasting companions were made up of some of the best wine bloggers from around the country. Below are links to their impressions from this exciting lineup of wines. Enjoy!

The Reverse Wine Snob: Excellent Italian Whites - Exploring the White Wines of Italy Including Two Bulk Buy Selections

Benito's Wine Reviews: Snooth PVA: il gran giro d’Italia con dodici vini bianchi

Vindulge: Learning about the white wines of Italy with Snooth – one region at a time

Wine Julia: #SnoothPVA: Indigenous Varietal Italian White Wines From North to South

My Vine Spot: #SnoothPVA: White Wines of Italy

Beauty in obscurity

We all have our comfort zones. For me, it’s Italy. I’m always trying to taste and learn more about other regions, but at the end of the day, the wine I’m drinking more often than not is from Italy. You can go even deeper into your comfort zone with specific varietals you love. I’m sure we all know a number of people who only reach for Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet or Chianti (of course that’s not a varietal—but just think of how many people only drink Chianti).

Frankly, it’s sad, because there are more grapes and bottled expressions of each of them than I could ever hope to quantify. By not exploring, we do ourselves an injustice. I understand that you don’t want to be disappointed, but not exploring the obscure is like saying that you don’t like pistachio ice cream because your mom only fed you chocolate and vanilla.

Slovenian Vineyards

This brings me to this week’s wines. I was recently invited to a blind tasting of “Obscure Varietals.” The rules were simple--bring a bottle of wine from an obscure varietal or region. The bottles were wrapped and served in no particular order. The results for me are that I learned that I apparently like Blauer Wildbacher Rosés from Austria and the white grape Zelen from the Slovenian winemaker, Burja.

I urge you to read on and do a little exploring. And please understand that in a world of inflated scoring from most wine critics, an 88-point wine from me is still pretty darn good.

The Blauer Wildbacher Rosé from Austria was eye-opening and a joy to drink. At first pour, the effervescence was nearly too much, but once it calmed down in the glass, it was very pleasing.

NV Franz Strohmeier Blauer Wildbacher Schilchersekt - The nose showed white florals with vanilla, hazelnut, pepper, lime and copper laden minerals. On the palate, it started out bitter but opened up with time in the glass with sour cherry, spiced orange peel and hint of yeast. The finish was long and fresh with notes of sour cherry. (90 points) Find it on: Wine-Searcher!

I don’t turn too often to the finger lakes, but the crowd I was drinking with on this night had a lot of good things to say. Having tasted this wine, I’m intrigued and plan to pay a visit to the region soon.

2007 Ravines Wine Cellars Keuka Village - The nose showed pear, vanilla and candied cashews with a hint of funk and green stems. On the palate, it was clean and focused with juicy acidity showing flavors of kiwi, lemon and inner floral notes. The finish was a bit short, yet still left me feeling satisfied and refreshed. (88 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

I must say that I prefer Vermentino in it’s native land, Italy. However, there were others at the table that enjoyed this Vermentino from California more than I did. Personally, I feel it lost its varietal character, which hurt its score in my book. That’s not to say it isn’t a wine worth trying.

2010 Ryme Vermentino Hers Las Brisas Vineyard - The nose showed grapefruit with spice and floral notes and lemon peel. On the palate, it had a lush, textural body with peach juice and roasted nuts. The finish receded slowly from the palate and showed the mouthwatering acidity that you'd expect from Vermentino. As Italian varietals in California go, this was simply not my cup of tea; I would honestly rather have a Vermentino from Italy. (86 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

If you didn’t already know, Slovenia is becoming a contender in the category of burgeoning wine regions. My first exploration was bridged by way of Italy and the wines of Movia, an ultra bio-dynamic producer that’s brought a great amount of attention to the region. Now that I’ve tasted another eye-opening bottle from Slovenia, from an unknown grape varietal, I’m excited to dig even deeper.

2010 Burja (Primož Lavrenčič) Zelen - The nose was enticing with floral notes of roses and stems with hints of green herbs, spices and funk. On the palate, it was fresh and juicy with floral, pepper and spice notes that carried over from the nose. The finish was staying yet fresh, clean and ultimately enjoyable. This is a wine that's not for the uninitiated. However, fans of Northern Italian whites and Gewurztraminer, take notice. (89 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Turkey is another wine-producing country that I don’t spend enough time exploring. The Tokaji Sec makes a good argument for further exploration. It was so remarkably interesting on the nose, and although it fell short for me on the palate, I think in retrospect that the aromatic qualities really made up for its shortcomings.

2006 Királyudvar Tokaji Sec - The nose showed beautifully with rich peach nectar, honeysuckle, dried apricot and dates. On the palate, it was smooth, yet clean with citrus, stone fruits and minerals. The finish fell short of what I had expected, yet this wine was still very enjoyable. (88 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

It’s amazing how many obsucre varietals exist in Italy alone. Hailing from Piedmont, this Grignolino sang of alpine landscapes and cried to be paired with hearty mountain food. It would be great for the exploring and adventurous wine drinker, but I certainly would bring it to a party for sipping.

2010 Cascina 'Tavijn Grignolino d'Asti - The nose showed dried red berries, green stems and black cracked pepper. On the palate, it was aggressive with an initial burst of acidity, tapering off to flavors of sweet red berries, herbs and pepper. The finish was focused, yet short and a little bitter. (87 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Another Northern Italian wine, and one that I have had before, is Tyroldeg (Teroldego). This is an Italian wine that deserves more attention. It is fruity, focused and balanced; rich enough for a cheese plate and layored enough to think on. Nusserhof makes it in a traditional and earthy style that screams Italia to me. However, for a more internationally pleasing rendition, look to the wines of Elisabetta Foradori.

2006 Heinrich Mayr (Nusserhof) Tyroldego Vino da Tavola - The nose showed ripe red berries, potpourri, undergrowth and wild herbs. On the palate, it was light with zesty acidity and flavors of cranberry and mountain herbs. The finish was fresh, juicy and clean. (89 points)

Back to Italy again, but this time to the most Southern reachs. Nerelo Mascallese is becoming a grape to be reckoned with on the slopes of Mount Etna (an active volcano). I have to agree with the hype; these are truly stunning wines that show remarkable finesse and purity with intense, honest fruit that feels like silk on the palate.

2007 Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Il Quadro delle Rose Feudo di Mezzo - The nose was a kaleidoscope of sweetshop versus earth with cherries dipped in vanilla and cinnamon sugar, offset by mountain herbs, soil and black tea. On the palate, it was juicy and balanced with finessed red fruits, sweet and sour sauce and sweet spices. On the finish, the tannic structure shows through and promises years of further development. (93 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Hietz, which is a stable of Napa Valley winemaking and known best for Cabernet Sauvignon, also produces this unquie and interesting expression of Grignolino. I have to say that I enjoyed it quite a bit, and I’d be hard-pressed to choose between this and the Grignolino from Italy that was also on the table.

2008 Heitz Cellar Grignolino - The nose showed red berries with floral notes, spice and candy sugar. On the palate, it was broad with red berry fruit and herbs. The finish showed a pleasant hint of violet candies. (89 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Antinori: Generations in the making

If you’re a lover of Italian wine, then you must know the name Antinori. With bottles like Guado al Tasso, Solaia and Tignanello; Antinori conquered the fine wine racket with a host of “Super Tuscans” that helped define a generation of winemaking. However, you don’t need to spend upwards of $70 to enjoy a gorgeous bottle of Tuscan juice from this winery, which is now on it’s 26th generation of ownership (that’s right, 26 generations). Antinori also produces a number of bottles in the value category that drink beautifully. One of my favorites value wines is the Antinori Chianti Classico Peppoli. Each year I look forward to the newest vintage for easy drinking and highly enjoyable Chianti.

2008 Antinori Chianti Classico Pèppoli - The nose showed dusty potpourri with fresh crushed cranberry, cinnamon stick, and dark bakers chocolate. On the palate, it was medium bodied with a high level of acidity pushing dry yet intense red fruit and mocha. The finish was long on the palate with some drying tannin and lots of dry red fruit extract. (88 points) Find it on: Wine-Searcher!

I was a little on the fence with this wine but it opened up nicely after a couple of hours open in bottle. Once it started to show a little body on the palate, the dry red fruits and high acidity became more and more tolerable. In the end this is not Chianti for the neophyte, but does provide an interesting contrast to many of the, soft and modern, Chianti on the market these days.

I enjoyed this wine. I won’t put more in my cellar but I would be happy to accept a glass if offered. For a great value white wine from Antinori, I highly recommend the Antinori, Guado al Tasso Vermentino. It's an Italian white that smells and tastes as if it had been plucked right from a Mediterranean coast only days before you tasted it.