Unsung Italian Wine Varietals

I suppose we have made progress since we have to dig a bit deeper to uncover the unsung varietals of Italy. Not long ago, many grapes that now enjoy minor-celebrity status, like Aglianico, Arneis, Cortese, Falanghina, or Verdicchio, were virtually unknown. If you want to learn about these and more Italian Wine Varietals, read – Speak Italian Grapes, and don’t miss our Italian Wine Primer.

Lucky for us, Italy is a deep treasure chest of wine and wine varietals, as each region offers something new and original. Many grapes that had long gone out of favor are now finding winemakers to champion their unique qualities. In short, this is what I love about wine – despite three decades of study, there is always something new to discover. Italian Wine Varietals offer an endless pursuit of knowledge and flavor exploration.

I have compiled a short list of varietals and the wines they produce. These grapes and wines are not often seen outside Italy, but I believe they will find a steadily growing fan base.

Unsung White Italian Varietals

Pecorino – a terrific Italian variety nearly lost. In the years when cooperative-driven winemaking was king, Pecorino was ripped out and replaced with varietals like Trebbiano that produced tons of fruit with little effort. By the 1970s, many considered it extinct, but in the 80s, a small wine producer in the Marche region found a few vines while searching for native grapes.

In the 90s, a handful of producers in Marche and Abruzzo had enough mature vines to produce small quantities of Pecorino-based wines. The results were favorable as Pecorino wines flow over you with their distinctive floral tones and bright natural acidity. This is rapidly becoming one of the favorite white grapes.

In the 21st century, Pecorino plantings have grown in Central Italy, with Lazio becoming a major player alongside Marche and Abruzzo. In 2011, the Marche region DOC of Offida was elevated to DOCG status (the top tier) for white wines made primarily with Pecorino or Passerina (another grape you should know).

Pecorino means “little sheep,” and it is said that the name was given as sheep flocking in vineyards favored the small green berries. Of course there is a cheese of the same name made also in Central Italy. Luckily, the wine and the cheese pair beautifully.

Vermentino – is an Italian varietal utilized in several of the nation’s regions from north to south. Vermentino is also an important grape in the south of France and portions of Spain.

Vermentino is enjoying renewed interest in Italy thanks to the bright and approachable wines made on the island of Sardinia. Vermentino is now Sardinia’s primary white grape; today, nearly 70% of Vermentino grown in Italy is found on the island.

Vermentino also remains important in Tuscany, Liguria, and Piedmont to a lesser degree.

Wines made with Vermentino are beautifully floral, with exotic fruit notes, bright acidity, and mineral accents. Typically, the wines are dry, while Vermentino does produce great dessert-style wines thanks to its vibrant natural acidity. Dry Vermentino is very food-friendly, pairing with virtually anything from the sea, with octopus, shellfish, and oily fish varieties being the best matches.

Erbaluce – is a great white varietal grown nearly exclusively in Piedmont. Erbaluce is a grape unfamiliar to many wine lovers and professionals. Just 800 acres of the rare grape can be found in Italy and, therefore, the world.

The top expression of Erbaluce is found in the tiny DOCG zone of Erbaluce di Caluso. The wines have fresh flavors redolent of ripe apples, peaches, and pears with a bright mineral accent and a generous dose of acidity.

For years, some viticulturists have tried to prove that Erbaluce is related to Arneis, but all attempts have proven false. All evidence indicates that Erbaluce is a unique varietal documented in its native Piedmont since 1606.

Unsung Red Italian Varietals

Cesanese – is a varietal on the fast track to success. This intriguing and complex varietal is grown nearly exclusively in the Italian region of Lazio. For most of its history, Cesanese was used to produce sweet wines with a mild, effervescent texture. In many ways, the traditional Cesanese wines were much like Lambrusco.

Fortunately, the recent push to discover Italy’s long-forgotten or abused grapes has resulted in a serious second look at Cesanese. In truth, the grape itself must carry some of the blame. Cesanese is fickle in the vineyard, and even in the warm Lazio summer, the grape is very slow to fully mature, often hanging until October to reach its full potential.

Careful clonal experimentation and selection have identified the varieties best suited to serious, dry red wine production. Cesanese di Affile (confusingly also a name of a DOC district) is the consensus champion clone. The top growing zone for Cesanese has also been identified as Cesanese del Piglio, which was elevated to DOCG status in 2008.

When treated with care, Cesanese produces wonderfully complex wines with flavors of red and black cherry supported by accents of pepper, earth, and dried flowers. The wines are frequently superb and pair with braised meats, sausages, and a classic Roman oxtail ragu. (Discover more about Cesanese here.)

Nero Buono – is another Italian grape known only by the most fevered Italian wine lovers. The grape hails from the hills near the town of Cori, which is about an hour’s drive southeast of Rome.

Nero Buono has been known in the regions for thousands of years but was never favored as a serious red wine grape. At best, the varietal was prized for its ability to bring intense color to red wines. Today, Nero Buono is being treated with respect and care, and the wines crafted with this varietal seem to get better each year as winemakers learn to unlock their secrets.

The best wines seem to come from the Cori DOC, where Nero Buono can be made as a varietally labeled wine, and the Cori Rosso wines must contain at least 50% Nero Buono. This is a varietal on the rise, and I predict it won’t be long before a DOCG wine based on Nero Buono rises in Lazio. Grab these wines — very hard to find in the USA – while they are cheap.

Ruché – is the forgotten grape from Piedmont. In a region dominated by the rightfully famous Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto, the scarcely planted Ruché (fewer than 300 acres) is rarely mentioned outside its native region.

Despite Ruché’s tiny footprint concerning acres planted, it has earned serious attention from Piedmont wine lovers, and the zone of Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato earned DOCG status in 2011.

Like Nero Buono, the wines created with Ruché are tricky to find in the USA at this time, but thanks to the wonders of the internet, curious wine lovers are a few clicks away from sampling the gem of Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG. The wines are similar to Nebbiolo, featuring perfumed aromatics, subtle, complex fruit flavors, firm tannins, and vibrant acidity.

We’ll leave this list of unsung Italian varietals at six, with more to come in the coming months and years. The rediscovery of great grapes nearly lost is fuel to the engine of wine exploration. This is why studying wine is a wonderful pursuit, as even the most seasoned wine lover and professional can routinely make new and delicious discoveries.