I once attended a seminar by legendary Italian wine writer Victor Hazan when he confidently announced, “The color of wine is red!” While Italy is best known for its reds, there are numerous distinctive whites, primarily from indigenous grape varieties.
Think you know Pinot Grigio? You don’t know Pinot Grigio until you’ve drunk Italian Pinot Grigio. If you are used to American Pinot Grigio, recalibrate your expectations. When tasting these wines, I kept thinking of words like brisk, tangy, crisp, tart, Bracing, and fresh. And they’re perfect for summer sipping.
Particularly from Alto Adige in the northeast with wines like the 2019 Kaltern ($23) – full flavored apple, white peach and almond. And the 2018 Elena Walch Vigna Castel Ringberg ($27). This one’s for people who don’t think they like Pinot Grigio – citrus, apple, pear, stone fruit, melon, mineral hints of spice, good structure.
In the far northeastern most corner, the Friuli Venezia Giulia region is home to Marco Felluga whose “Mongris” (2019, $20), from the Collio subregion, fills the mouth with peach, melon and stone fruit accented with spicy herbs. Finally, repected producer Alois Lageder also offers the value priced 2019 Cantina Riff ($11) – citrus, fresh cut grass, pear, and apple.
Also from Collio subregion, the 2018 Russiz Superiore Sauvignon ($29), from a sibling estate to Marco Felluga, is a Sauvignon Blanc inspiring for its crisp lemon, peach and melon. Packed with flavor, it still drinks with finesse.
Back to Alto Adige, I continue to be impressed with Gewürztraminer wines from the grape’s geographic origin. The 2018 Elena Walch Vigna Kastelaz ($39) is traditionally off-dry and drinks with orange and enticing viscosity. Its cool climate source enables the wine to develop dramatic aromas of lychee, anise, rose, and spice.
Further west, while Piemonte’s red wines get most of the attention, its native white wines should not be overlooked. Especially arneis, an ancient variety from the Roero subregion, which over the last fifty years has been revived mostly thanks to Vietti winery whose 2019 ($24) shows fruit salad, with herbal notes and a juicy finish. And, though not quite as old, cortese is produces an equally distinctive wine. La Scolca’s 2019 Gavi dei Gavi ($45), an estate grown cortese from near the town of Gavi, opens with nutty lime, peach and citrus notes and drinks brisk and tangy.
Finally, Abruzzo in east-central Italy also is focused on local grapes, such as pecorino (the grape, not the cheese). Another old variety once thought to be extinct that has been resurrected in recent decades, its wines typically are invigorating and forward with higher alcohol, but still delicate and balanced. The 2019 La Valentina Pecorino ($17) adds complexity from organically farmed estate vineyards and a luscious palate from slightly higher alcohol, balanced with pleasant nutty citrus.
NOTE: Featured Image courtesy Alto Adige Wine/Benjamin Pfitscher