Italian White Wines

We have thousands of wines. Although we carry many national brands, that is not our focus. The following are well made and generally more interesting wines that we are proud to recommend.

Velenosi Colli Aprutini Pecorino Prope, Abruzzo, 2022 ($15.95) - Angela and Ercole Velenosi, along with Paolo Garbini, began this venture in 1985. Their winery and most of their vineyards are in Escole, in the very southern part of Le Marche. This is where Velenosi Rosso Piceno “Il Brecciarolo,” one of our best red wine values, comes from. They also have vineyards just over the border, in Controguerra, Abruzzi, where they grow Pecorino, Trebbiano, and Montepulciano. The Pecorino (no relation to the cheese) is our favorite of the trio. A grape that is growing in popularity, it is an early-ripening varietal with naturally low yields. This is a fine example, with hints of star fruit and melon, a soft entry, yet a crisp finish. It was fermented and aged in concrete for four months on the lees.

Gorgo Bianco di Custoza “San Michelin,” 2023 ($15.95) – Another bargain white wine from Italy! Bianco di Custoza is a white wine made in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy. Almost always a blend, the dominant grapes are Cortese (as in Gavi) with Friulano, Garganega, Trebbiano, and some others also allowed. We carry Gorgo’s very nice regular BdC; this single vineyard wine is a clear step up, yet very inexpensive.

Ferrante Pinot Grigio, Terre Siciliane, 2023 ($15.95) - One doesn’t think of Sicily as the source of good Pinot Grigio, but this one is a beauty. Made in a soft, lush style, it may not have the crispness of those made in Trentino or Alto Adige, but it has great charm and refinement.

Mormoraia Vernaccia di San Gimignano Suavis, 2020 ($18.29) - We’re waiting for the new vintage of this fine Italian white from near Sienna. Previous review: Wine Spectator: 88 “Apple and almond flavors are framed by wild herb accents in this tangy white. There is a musky, melon note too, while the lingering finish evokes hints of lanolin and spice. Drink now.”

Masseria Frattasi Falangina Taburno, 2023 ($20.99) - The Falanghina grape and the Masseria Frattasi Winery are inextricably linked. Falanghina, one of Italy’s oldest grapes, is thought to have been brought to Italy by the Greeks when they colonized southern Italy around the 7th century BCE. Falanghina is probably the basis of Falernum (or Falernian), the most highly prized wine of the Roman era. Falanghina gradually lost favor, being viewed as dull, unaromatic, and hard to grow. By the early 20th century, there were few vineyards left. Eventually, the few 200-year-old vines left happened to be at Masseria Frattasi Winery, which had been founded in 1779 in Montesarchi, a town in the Taburno region of Campania. It sits at the very foot of the Magnum Taburnum, a dramatic mountain. It is now owned by the Clemente family and has 72 acres of vineyards and 25 acres of olive groves, almost all in the mountains. In the late 20th century, Masseria Frattasi and a few other wineries, such as Mastroberardino, planted more Falanghina, and the grape has since had a renaissance. This lovely example is fresh and snappy with an aromatic range of passion fruit, green melon, Thai basil, stone, and fresh ginger. It has a bright, tangy finish. And yes, there are still a few 200-year-old Falanghina vines on the property, from which the winery takes cuttings for new plantings!

Graziano Prà Soave “Otto,” 2020 ($19.99) - Back in the 1960s and 1970s, the popular wines were Italian: white Soave and red Valpolicella from Veneto. I guess Bolla is still around, but it’s not in serious wine shops. Soave and Valpolicella never disappeared - other wines eclipsed them - but over the years, they quietly got better and better. The best Soaves justify the origin of their name: “suave!” Prà makes one of the best, crisp, and luminous with great fruit definition, specifically vivid notes of white peach, tangerine, and sweet almond. Balanced and refreshing. The vineyards are in the process of conversion to certified organic. Graziano Prà’s family owned the vineyard for generations, but they only began bottling wine in the early 1980s. Valpolicella and Amarone are also produced. Otto is the family dog. (See the Monte Grande  below.)

Collestefano Verdicchio di Matelica, Marche-Italy, 2023 ($19.99) - This certified organic wine shows just how much Italian white wines have improved. It is bright, fresh, and incredibly delicious! Eric Asimov (New York Times) listed a previous vintage in a “10 Most Memorable Wines of the Year” article, not because it was among the very best, which would be ridiculous, but because it left a lasting impression. Collestefano was started in 1998 when Fabio Marchionni took over the estate that had been in his family for years. After getting his degree in agriculture, where he did his thesis on Verdicchio di Matelica, he worked for Weingut Zähringer in Germany, where he learned to work and farm organically. He then worked briefly in wine bars and restaurants before taking over the family farm. Since then, he has developed a reputation as one of the best producers in Verdicchio.

His wine has been consistent in quality, winning at least two glasses from Gambero Rosso every year since 2001 (winning three glasses twice). The Matelica zone is further inland and at a higher elevation than the more common Verdicchio di Castelli di Jesi. Matelica wines tend to be brighter and more elegant whereas Castelli di Jesi wines often have a little more fruit and heft. Collestefano is textbook Matelica – bright and crisp with floral notes, luminously transparent, with floral, grapefruit, green apple, lychee fruit, and hints of mineral. Such a pretty wine! Such a great price!!

Sergio Mottura Orvieto, 2020 ($19.99) - We're waiting for the new vintage (and probably new price). Well before Pinot Grigio began to be imported into the U.S. (1979), Soave, Orvieto, Verdicchio, Corvo, and (to a lesser extent) Vernaccia di San Gimignano were the Italian whites most people knew. With the exception of Corvo, these wines have greatly improved in quality but have not regained their former popularity. Orvieto is one of Italy’s oldest white wines. This fine example is a blend of 45% Procanico, 25% Verdello, 20% Grechetto, and 10% Rupeccio. The winemaking is organic! A porcupine is on the label because this shy, picky animal is only found on healthy, unpolluted land. Its presence on the Mottura estate is a source of great pride. Vinous 90: “Luminous pale straw. Aromas and flavors of stone and pomaceous orchard fruit. Very bright and juicy with sneaky concentration and depth to the apple, pear, and floral flavors. Finishes long and saline with a lingering juicy ripe pear nuance and noteworthy salinity. Sergio Mottura is not located in Umbria, the home of Orvieto, but he has always been one of Orvieto’s three best producers. This delightful, well-balanced, easygoing white shows just how good Orvieto can be, in the right hands.”

Sant’ Elena Pinot Grigio, Friuli Isonzo, 2019 ($22.49) - We're waiting for the new vintage of this fabulous Pinot Grigio. Unless people are silly enough to spend for Santa Margherita, most Pinot Grigio lovers look for wines well under $20. That’s a shame because there are some Pinot Grigio producers who take the time (and happen to be in the best places) to make some lovely wines, far better than the run-of-the-mill ones. Sant’ Elena, from the Rive Alte district of Friuli Isonzo, is surprisingly fragrant and floral. It doesn’t quite have the texture of our Ritratti, but it has a great deal of character, nice freshness, and quite impressive minerality. Great with seafood risotto and other fish dishes. Wine Spectator: 90 $24 “Loaded with orange zest and chopped chervil notes, this lively white is bright and aromatic. Delivers a tang of salinity that underscores flavors of steeped raspberry and blanched almond. Creamy finish. Drink now through 2027.” Located very close to the border with Slovenia and Austria, Saint’ Elena was founded at the end of the 19th century by the Klodic family. It was sold almost 100 years later to Dominic Nocerino, who invested heavily in its renewal, replanting many of its vineyards and building a modern cellar.

Murgo Etna Bianco, 2024 ($22.99) -  Most Etna Biancos cost around $30; this one is a bargain. The Scammacca del Murgo family has been producing wine on Mt. Etna since 1860, long before its current popularity. In 1981, Baron Emanuele Scammacca del Murgo modernized the three family farms and the Palazzo Scammacca, which had been built in 1800 in the historic center of Catania. The Etna wines come from historic Tenuta San Michele, located 500 meters above sea level. The unique terroir, influenced by daily thermal variation and mineral-rich volcanic soil, produces wines with personality, elegance, minerality, and aromatic complexity. Carricante and Catarrato grapes are both used for the white. This vintage has not been reviewed yet, but the Wine Advocate described the similar 2020: “A blend of 70% Carricante and 30% Catarratto made exclusively in stainless steel. Linear and crisp with poached pear, white peach, and citrus. This expression from Murgo is especially touched by a hint of sweet or candied almond that gives the wine an authentically Sicilian character.” Certified organic since 2020.

Wiegner Etna Bianco Contrada Rampante, 2020 ($23.99) - Sicilian wines continue to improve, and the ones grown on the slopes of Mount Etna benefit from the volcanic soil and are some of Sicily’s best. Wiegner Winery is on the northern side of Mount Etna with 15 acres of vineyards at an average of 2460 feet above sea level. The large diurnal temperature shift (warm days and very cool nights) is perfect for the Carricante (100%) grapes. A Swiss couple, Peter Wiegner and his wife, Laura Puccetti, bought this small estate in Passopisciaro in 2002 and planted vines in 2004. Son Marco is gradually taking over the reins. The prominent bouquet of this wine features herbal and floral notes. The palate displays wonderful saline and mineral character with vivid acidity and a long finish. In addition to the Rampante, a Fiano and several red wines are produced.

Cusumano Shamaris Grillo, Sicily, 2021 ($24.99) - The Sicilian white wines from Mt. Etna under the Etna Bianco designation have made quite the name for themselves, but there are other options too. The Grillo grape is widespread throughout Sicily and southern Italy, where it is heat tolerant and makes wines that are full in texture with a slight herbal note and bright acidity. This one is sourced from the Tenuta Monte Pietroso and sees no wood. Its saline character pairs exceptionally well with seafood, vegetable dishes, and pastas. The bouquet is very pure and clean with varietal tones of exotic fruit, peach, and cut grass. Delicious! And it’s got a cool glass cork. Limited.

Produtorri Etna Nord Etna Bianco, 2021 ($29.99) - Graci Etna Bianco, which we love, recently took a huge price increase, so we will be discontinuing it after we sell out. This substitute comes from an association of five small family producers and is nearly as good. The blend is Carricante and Catarratto. It shows the minerality of Mt. Etna’s volcanic soil and is very nicely balanced. The grapes are farmed organically, but the wine is not certified. The warm days and very cool nights make for ripe grapes with solid acidity. Unoaked. Very appealing.

Il Poggio Timorasso, Colli Tortonesi, 2020 ($29.99) - This is our first but definitely not our last Timorasso; it is excellent!!! Like Falanghina in Campagna, the Timorasso grape in Piemonte was nearing extinction, with only 1.2 acres left by 1987. When Walter Massa came of age and joined the family winery (Vigneti Massa), he wanted to do something different than the Barbera that was popular in this southeast part of Piemonte, 1.5 hours east of Barolo and 1 hour south of Milan. He found fewer than 500 vines of Timorasso in the family vineyard and decided to experiment with it. He was so excited by the results that he planted more and spread the word. Today, there are over 50 producers, mostly small family operations but also some large producers, like Vietti and Fontanafredda/Borgogno, and over 450 acres under vine!

Timorasso wine is a wonderful combination of near-tropical fruit, acidity, and depth. The acidity can be high and refreshing, but it is clearly moderated in this example. The grape has been compared to Chenin Blanc and Riesling with its citrusy freshness, but Timorasso also has a mouth-filling character. It can give the impression of having been fermented on the skins – skin-contact for whites often gives a certain mouthfeel – or even having been barrel-aged, but the body comes mainly from the grape itself, sometimes together with yellow fruit aromas and nuts. A fascinating wine you really should try!

√√Graziano Prà Soave Classico “Monte Grande,” Veneto-Italy, 2020 ($37.99) - Prà’s “Otto” Soave was a big hit at one of our Saturday tastings. Graziano was one of the first Soave producers to see higher potential in certain sub-parcels in the appellation and was one of the first to produce vineyard-designated Soaves like this Monte Grande. From vines planted mostly in the late 1970s on very black, volcanic soils, it is a wine of complexity, minerality, and finesse. Many scoff at expensive wines from less-than-world-class regions, but that narrow thinking discourages producers from aiming high, and it perpetuates a mental classification system (discrimination, if you will). After all, a $40 white Burgundy of this quality would be considered a bargain! Wine Spectator: 93 “An expressive, light- to medium-bodied white, delivering juicy baked pineapple, pear glacé, pink grapefruit peel, tarragon, and just a touch of brioche. Racy acidity gives this sleek focus, and the finish is long and minerally. Drink now through 2030.”