Are Italian white wines some of the most underrated wines in the world?
Italian White Wines
I’m already back exploring more Italian wine again because there’s so much to explore. This time I want to focus on some lesser known dry Italian white wine varieties.
However, the category as a whole deserves more attention among wine lovers. From simple zesty whites like cheap Pinot Grigio to more sophisticated and complex whites that see lees and/or oak aging (which could also be Pinot Grigio or a plethora of other varieties), Italian white wines have universal appeal as great food wines and enough terroir driven diversity to appeal to wine geeks as well. As a bonus, most of these whites are not nearly as expensive as Italian reds like Amarone, Barolo, Super-Tuscan, Brunello, etc., which can all cost a pretty penny. Plus many French and Californian whites from well-known appellations will be way more expensive too.
Most Italian whites, like many of their reds, have great acidity that makes it great with all sorts of food. You can imagine yourself sitting somewhere along Italy’s 7,900 km of coastline and enjoying the local seafood with just about any Italian white. Many pasta dishes like Carbonara also benefit with that fresh acidity to cut through the fat. It’s also great with antipasti or on its own since the freshness is nice given the warm Mediterranean climate. Of course, you can recreate your Italy trip wherever you live any time of year with these wines.
Beyond Italian food, dry, light and zesty Italian whites should pair with all types of foods from salads to pork. In comparison, fuller whites from California might be too full, oaky, buttery and low in acid for some lighter pairings although some Italian whites have more body too for heavier dishes. There are sparklings (e.g. Prosecco) and off-dry whites to a lesser extent as well for other types of pairings and occasions, but I’m mostly talking about dry Italian whites here.
As a wine geek, I also like how there are so many white varieties and regions to choose from. Although other international white varieties are also grown, there are so many local native Italian varieties as well. Typically each variety has its own personality that has adapted to its own terroir. For example, Vermentino is grown in different places in Italy (and France) but has different names like Favorita in Piedmont or Pigato in Liguria. In some cases, a variety like Trebbiano is not only different by name in different regions but represents several types of both related and unrelated grape varieties according to DNA tests (more explanation below). Finally, these varieties capture their terroir but also can be shaped by the winemaking while still keeping that Italian zesty, food-friendly style. For example, Carricante can show off its high acid varietal characteristics, volcanic high elevation terroir of Etna, Sicily, oak aging and extended lees time.
I have three Italian white varieties to explore with you. I’ll give more information about each variety in the tasting notes.
Tasting Notes
2022 Marco de Bartoli Lucido IGT Terre Siciliane
100% organic 20 year old Catarratto. It’s the white grape most widely planted in Sicily and mostly used for Marsala but is also blended with Carricante in Etna Bianco. However, there are dry varietal versions as you can see. Lucido is the local name of a strand of Catarratto.
Indigenous yeast. Fermented in stainless steel and aged for 7 months on its lees. Minimal sulfites added. About 23,000 bottles produced.
The nose initially highlights the lees contact but there are savory herbal and citrus notes as well. Something like fennel. The palate is singing with a nice balance of tartness, fruit and salinity. A delicious wine with character that doesn’t rely on obvious oak and sugar to impress. 92
2022 Tiberio Pecorino Abruzzo
Pecorino was facing extinction in the 70’s since it was a low-yielding grape, but nowadays more producers are looking for quality and uniqueness over quantity, so it’s making a comeback. The name Pecorino for the wine grape and cheese are related and not related. Their name origins have different histories, but they’re both related to sheep because “pecorino” means “little sheep” in Italian. Therefore, the Pecorino grape was most likely named after the sheep that would eat the grapes while grazing. On the other hand, the cheese Pecorino Romano was obviously named after the sheep whose milk is used to make the cheese in the Lazio (Rome) region since ancient Rome. However, most Pecorino Romano is now made in Sardinia. Despite their different origin stories, Pecorino the wine actually goes well with Pecorino the cheese. I paired it with Carbonara pasta, which features Pecorino cheese, which is a great substitute for the more common Parmesan cheese in the US or Grana Padano, both of which are often grated over pasta.
100% Pecorino. 20+ year old vines. Free-run juice only. Stainless steel fermentation, native yeasts and no malolactic.
Nose is shy at first as it warms up, showing flint (reduction?), herbs and yeasty notes. The palate is explosive though with up front fruit, medium+ body engulfing the mouth, electric acidity, herbal spice and savory minerality on the back-end. 93
2022 Tiberio Trebbiano d’Abruzzo
Trebbiano is a broad category of white varieties in Italy. Some are related to each other and some are not. The most common is Trebbiano Toscano, otherwise known as Ugni Blanc in France, which is the primary grape in Cognac. Trebbiano di Soave is not related to Trebbiano Toscano, and is actually the same grape as Verdichio. Trebbiano Abruzzese is probably related to Trebbiano Toscano, but is its own variety according to DNA tests. Although Trebbiano Toscano and Bombino Bianco can be used interchangeably with Trebbiano Abruzzese as at least 85% of the wine in the Trebbiano d’Abruzzo DOC with up to 15% of other grapes like Passerina and Malvasia, this producer has painstakingly divided her old-vine Trebbiano Abruzzese to make a 100% version. This is because Tiberio produces wines in a low-intervention way to show off the terroir and variety.
100% Trebbiano Abruzzese. Average 65 year old vines. Free-run juice only, fermented in stainless steel with native yeasts. No Malolactic.
However, the color has a slight orange tinge to it making me think there was mild skin contact, but I guess that’s not the case. Similarly, it seems like there’s some lees influence, but this was aged in bottle, so I’m confused. It could just be how the native yeasts express themselves. Plus, I’m not experienced with Trebbiano Abruzzese. The nose exhibits some citrus, minerality and some white floral notes, but it’s not as open and intense as the palate, which has lots of peach, ripe grapefruit and a saline finish and mild herbal notes. It has a medium-body with medium+ acidity. Fresh and lively. 92
Conclusion
As I stated in the beginning, all these wines are affordable, great with food but also complex and terroir driven. I’d recommend all of them if you want to keep exploring Italian wine like me. Give them a try instead of your favorite Sauvignon Blanc or more expensive Chablis.