The very mention of the word ‘Italy’ tends to conjure up several images; good wine, good food, fashion, beautiful villas set amongst rolling hills or a traditional Tuscan landscape…but if we just go back to that first image again, ‘wine’, how many of us can truly say they associate Italy with white wine rather than the sumptuous reds for which it is famed?
Despite Italy being home to some of the oldest wine producing regions in the world, throughout history its traditions have always been with red wines. The Etruscans and Greek settlers began producing wine in Italy long before the Romans took to viticulture. The Romans, as with many other things, took a scientific approach to wine making and perfected their techniques to accomplish an abundant, large-scale production with new and workable storage techniques such as bottling and barrel making. Some two thousand years later and the Italians are stronger than ever; with over one million vineyards, it comes as no surprise that Italy is often regarded as one of the top two wine producing countries in the world, rivalled only by France in terms of export quantities.
Whilst the rest of the wine producing world, and indeed much of Italy, continues to hail new and enhanced methods of harvesting and wine making, there are still a large number of Italian towns that embrace traditional bare-feet treading methods; and their methods can hardly be questioned when the results are so frequently superb.
There are twenty wine regions in Italy, each one corresponding to the twenty political regions, and as food and drink are such a huge part of the Italian culture, it can be interesting to imagine how a particular wine reflects the region’s traditions. Most of the regions excel in producing wonderful reds from the 350 ‘authorized’ grapes such as the Tuscan Sangiovese which has earthy, cherry tastes. The Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino and Rosoo di Montalcino are just some of the most famous exports.
Some of the most widely grown white grapes include: Trebbiano, Moscato, Nuragus, Tocai Friulano, Pigato, Pinot Grigio, Garganega and Arneis. Italy also grows many non-native varietals such as Chardonnay, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. The Trebbiano vines account for almost one third of the white wine produced in Italy, though in most instances it is blended with others – there are in fact only six wines made purely from the Trebbiano which include: Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, Trebbiano di Aprilia, Trebbiano di Arborea, Trebbiano di Capriano del Colle, Trebbiano di Romagna and Trebbiano Val Trebbia dei Colli Piacentini. Once aged, the Trebbiano can be very good but it is generally considered to be ‘easy drinking wine’.
The Pinot Grigio is perhaps one of the most famous varietals and though hugely mass-produced, remains a firm favourite from wine-lovers to even the most amateur of wine drinkers. Many experts will agree that whilst the Pinot Grigio is a crisp, fresh tasting wine, the world-demand for exportation means that it is often harvested a little too early which can compromise the character of the wine significantly. Largely produced in Veneto, the North West of Italy, the Pinot Grigio is at best a subtle, citrusy wine with perhaps a slightly nutty flavour – a superb partner to any summer dish including seafood and fresh salads.
Umbria is one of Italy’s most famous wine producing regions that has had some great successes with whites. Located in central Italy, Umbria has its own story to tell with a histroy rich in art and a landscape associated with beautiful villages, castles and monasteries. Imagine Tuscany without the tourists and you’re almost there. The Upper Tiber Valley cultivates the classic Chardonnay amongst others and its Vernino wine is widely regarded as a firm favourite. The Trebbiano is another typical vine of the region, as is the Arco del Savrano which, when left on the vine for 20-25 days longer than normal produces a much sweeter taste – wines left to age for at least two years improve even further.
Southern Italy is no stranger to producing some quality white wines and whilst Sicily is largely associated with the higly respectable Corvo Regleali and Alession Planets, it is perhaps Naples that comes out as a fore-runner of white wine producers. As one of Italy’s most serious and experienced wine making regions, it should hardly come as a surprise that there are some quality goods coming from this region – some of the most notable producers include Feudi di san Gregano, Fiano di Avellino and Greco di Tufo.
Given that Italy is such a massive producer of wine, it seems unfair to highlight only a few areas where white wine can be found – the truth of course is that there are white wine producers all over the country, some still struggling to break from their red-wine traditions whilst others have embraced the challenge of cultivating the white grapes with great success. If you ever needed an excuse to visit Italy, it should be to find your own white-wine adventure…it’s a tough job but someone has to do it!
