National White Wine Day on 4 August is the day on which Italy celebrates white wines.
White wines from the South Tyrol and Trentino
Starting in the very north of Italy, in the Val d’Isarco in South Tyrol, we find a grape variety that is rare in Italy, the Grüner Veltliner. The Aristos Alto Adige Valle Isarco DOC 2024 from Cantina Valle Isarco is made from hand-harvested and hand-selected grapes, and is aged for seven months. On the palate it is spicy and fresh, with an elegant, long and persistent finish and it pairs perfectly with fish, white meats and soft cheeses. In Trentino, Chardonnay finds its fullest expression in Trentodoc and the boutique winery Maso Martis, however produces the L’Incanto Chardonnay Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT 2024 in very limited quantities. Aged for 15 months in barriques, it pairs well with smoked and spiced cured meats or mature cheeses, as well as with seafood dishes.
Lake Garda, Romagna, Umbria and Tuscany
In the morainic hills on the southern shore of Lake Garda, the Buglioni winery presents the Gabriella Lugana DOC 2025: a 100 per cent Trebbiano that reveals a pronounced minerality accompanied by fresh notes of citron and green apple and pairing well with light starters and soft cheeses, grilled fish and seafood pasta dishes. In Romagna the Dutia Albana di Romagna DOCG 202 is a wine that Branchini has been producing for almost 170 years and is perfect with ricotta and sage tortelli and the classic Romagna piadina, but also with raw fish, and spicy Middle Eastern cuisine. In Umbria, Arnaldo Caprai presents his Grecante, a Grechetto Colli Martani DOC 2025 which has aromas of yellow peach, almond and a hint of minty herbs, and is ideal with seafood carpaccio and white meats. In Tuscany, Tenuta Campo di Sasso-s Occhione Toscana Bianco IGT 2025 is a single-varietal Vermentino that pairs ideally with roast white meats, game and mature cheeses.
Zibibbo originated in Ptolemaic Egypt
The Grillesino estate's Vermentino Maremma Toscana DOC 2025 is another single-varietal wine, produced in a limited run of just 6,000 bottles, and is crisp and savoury on the palate, pairing beautifully with spaghetti with seafood or clams, fried and grilled seafood, fresh cheeses and summer salads. Zibibbo is one of the oldest white grape varieties in the Mediterranean, with origins dating back to Ptolemaic Egypt. Known internationally as Moscato d’Alessandria, it made its way to Sicily and Calabria, eventually reaching Santa Venere, the winery which, with its Calamacca Calabria Bianco IGT 2023, offers a dry Zibibbo with good acidity, and a fragrant, harmonious finish.
Sicily has award-winning white wines
In Sicily, Azienda Agricola Cortese produces Vanedda Bianco Terre Siciliane IGP 2023, an organic white made from two classic Sicilian grape varieties, Catarratto and Grillo.This wine is particularly enjoyable with pasta with sardines, swordfish alla ghiotta, couscous and the island’s traditional cheeses. In Sicily Ragusa area, Santa Tresa produces the award-winning Rina Ianca Sicilia DOC 2025. This organic wine is Straw-yellow in colour and is perfect with fish and shellfish as well as with cured meats.
