4 Italian White Wines for Winter 2025
Italian white wines are diverse, distinctive, and delicious. But our stress today is on diverse. Italian whites can be strikingly different from each. It saddens me to think that many people limit their experience of Italian white wines to Pinot Grigio. Make no mistake, Pinot Grigio can be lovely, but there are many more adventurous choices out there worth trying. Today we are sampling a few of them. Taken together, these are complex wines that show real character and yet are also surprisingly affordable. If you are a white wine drinker looking to expand your options, Italy offers wonderful and nearly endless possibilities.
2023 Ceretto Blange Langhe Arneis – This zippy wine shows green apple, candied lemon, pear, and minerality on both the nose and palate. The wine has a bit of effervescence, which tingles the tongue and works well with its bright flavors. The flavors come together with the acidity and the light fizz, making for a wonderful summer wine that is enjoyable on a brisk autumn evening. It will pair well with light to medium fare, and I think it would go brilliantly with Branzino. A- / $25
2023 Tenuta Regaleali Bianco – 33% Inzolia, 27% Catarratto; 30% Grecanico, 10% Chardonnay. This Sicilian blend has a lovely nose, showing balanced notes of lemon, melon, flowers, and a touch of green apple. The palate follows suit nicely. Lemon and melon come first, along with high acidity. The midpalate introduces floral notes, green apple, some salinity, and nice minerality. The flavors come together very well. I wish the finish were a bit longer, but that’s just nitpicking. This is a great, food-friendly wine and an absolute steal for the price. I would love to pair it with grilled chicken and vegetables. A- / $16
2024 Frescobaldi Pomino Bianco DOC – This crisp blend of chardonnay and pinot blanc kicks off with a punchy note of lime that’s balanced by both some earthy, graphite-laced minerals and a slick of buttery marzipan, which provides some necessary body to the wine. Extremely food-friendly and versatile, the wine spends its formative moments lingering on notes of green apple, and it finishes clean, with echoes of dried florals and gentle greenery providing a wrapper for what’s come before. Definitely a crowd-pleaser. A- / $20 -CN
2023 Masso Vivo Toscana Vermentino – 100% Vermentino from Tuscany. On the nose and palate, this wine shows flinty minerality along with lemon, light grapefruit and a floral touch. It also has a nice, silky mouthfeel along with an enjoyable salinity that lends complexity. Medium acidity promises it will pair well with food, but it is also enjoyable on its own. I would like to try this with seared cod or other white fish. B / $23
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