Additional Lesser Known White Grapes & Wines

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Albarin is a white grape and one of the many indigenous grapes found on Saint James Way (also known as Camino de Santiago), originally from the area of Asturias and León in Spain. Albarin is grown in northwest Spain in Asturias and Castilla y León at high altitudes. The light-skinned grape makes delicious, spicy, acidic white wine with floral aromas. Most producers make a single-varietal white wine with it. It’s varietal wines are aromatically tropical with passion fruit, lime, mango and a juicy mouth feel tends to be affordable.

The grape can produce different styles of wines, very fruity and fresh young wines and very interesting long-aged wines. Albarin is often confused for Albariño because of its similar name, even though they are quite different. While both are refreshing and acidic, Albariño boasts zesty citrus notes while Albarín features floral notes

Albillo or Albillo Real is a white Spanish wine grape variety planted primarily in the Ribera del Duero region, and also in Madrid, Ávila and Galicia. The grape has mostly neutral flavors with a light perfume aroma. It has a high glycerol index which confers smoothness to the wines.

It is sometimes added to the red wines of the Ribera del Duero for added aromatics. The berries are of average size, round in shape and golden in colour. The grape bunches are generally small and compact. It is an authorized variety in the Ribera del Duero region and one of the main varieties in the Vinos de Madrid DO.

Antão Vaz is a native Portuguese white wine grape variety. Genetic testing has shown it to be a cross of the white Cayetana blanca and the almost unknown red João Domingos, which is thought to be extinct in its native Portugal. It is grown primarily in the Alentejo region, with additional plantings around Lisbon and in the Península de Setúbal. It is vigorous and productive, and requires a hot climate. The thick skins on these large loosely packed grapes enable them to withstand high heat and dehydration. It produces complex, light yellow wines with citrus and tropical aromas. Depending on the time of harvest, the wines can range from very acidic to ripe and alcoholic,

Aravelle is white wine grape is a cross between the famed Vitis Vinifera variety Riesling and Cayuga White. The latter is a cross between hybrids Schuyler and Seyval Blanc and was created by Cornell in 1972.  Aravelle, meaning “grace,” “favor” or “an answer to prayers.”  First developed by Reisch at the school of Integrative Plant Science within Cornell University’s College of Agriculture in 1981,

Hybrid varieties, however, are commonly bred for their hardiness, particularly in the face of the Northeast’s cold winters and humid summers, means growers can use far fewer synthetic sprays like fungicides.

While sharing Riesling’s racy acidity the variety shows more overt fruit (think apricot, peach and tropical fruit), floral, muscat and honeyed characters than its famed parent variety, and in intriguing textural component, too.

Arbane (or Arbanne) is a white French wine grape variety that has been historically grown in the Aube region of Champagne, but has now all but disappeared from the vineyards with less than 1 hectare (2.5 acres) left in France in 2006. Despite its rarity, it is still permitted grape variety to be blended with Chardonnay, Pinot noir and Pinot Meunier and other varieties in the Champagne cuvée.

Hybrid varieties, however, are commonly bred for their hardiness, particularly in the face of the Northeast’s cold winters and humid summers, means growers can use far fewer synthetic sprays like fungicides.

While sharing Riesling’s racy acidity the variety shows more overt fruit (think apricot, peach and tropical fruit), floral, muscat and honeyed characters than its famed parent variety, and in intriguing textural component, too.

Arneis a low acid white grape is surpassingly is the grandchild of Nebbiolo.
The name may come from a local word for a temperamental, difficult person. Arneis is most at home in the sandy soils of the Roero, Piedmonte, Italy. As a wine, Arneis is all about fresh white peach or apricot, pear, white flowers, and almond. It’s a subtle, elegant wine, one worth slowing down to taste its delicate flavors and aromas.

Aromella is a white hybrid grape variety. It is a cross of Traminette and Ravat 34. It produces an aromatic white wine that range from ‘floral’ to ‘muscat,’ Aromella is highly winter hardy and productive, with own-rooted vines. Valvin Muscat produces wines with a similar range of muscat flavors, but Aromella is both more productive and more winter hardy.

Asprinio bianco is a white Italian wine grape variety grown primarily in southwest Italy, around the Naples region of Campania. In Naples the grape is used to make lightly sparkling frizzante wine.

Bianco di Morgante  is an enimgatic, eccentric, and unexpected white wine vinified entirely from Nero d’Avola, Sicily‘s most noble red grape. The grapes for this wine are pressed gently and matured in stainless steel tanks to retain their fresh aromas.

Biancolella is a white Italian grape variety that produces dry white wines that are light, acidic, and fruit forward with a nutty finish.  It is used as a primary grape variety or blended with other white wine grapes.  Biancolella can be found in its most authentic form in the DOC region of Ischia, an island off the coast of Naples in Italy’s Campania region.  The grape does well in Ischias volcanic soils, high elevations and steeply slanted vineyards.

Bogdanusa is an ancient white grape variety that is indigenous to the island of Hvar, on Croatia’s west coast (Primo ska Hrvatska). Nowadays, it is grown mostly around Ager, where it makes light white wines with floral aromas.

Bogdanusa is a high-yielding and reliable variety that has earned the respect of many Croatian winemakers – its name means “godsend”, and Bogdanusa wines play a significant part in Croatia’s religious festivals. It is typically used to make fresh varietal wine that is relatively low in alcohol, but is also useful for adding complexity to blends, notably with Posip and Grok.

Synonyms include: Bogdanjuša, Hvarka, Mladinka, Vrbanjka.

Great Food pairings for Bogdanuša include; Seafood stew (brodet), Salt and pepper squid, and Turkey sandwiches

Bombino Bianco is a key white wine grape grown in central and southeastern Italy. It is used to make all manner of bulk-produced wine and is rarely the star performer in any wine. Across various regions Bombino Bianco also goes by a number of highly evocative names including Straccia Cambiale (“tear up debts”) Caricalasino (“load up the donkey”) and Buttapalmento (“fill up the tank”).And yet, growers in Puglia have report that Bombino Bianco provides meagre crops.

Bombino Nero was long considered to be a color mutation of Bombino Bianco in the manner of the Pinot family. The two Bombinos are now thought to be closely related but distinct varieties.

Food pairings for Bombino Bianco wines include; Prawn and sweet potato fritters and whole-roasted flounder

Malvasia: An extremely important Canary Island white grape historically, Malvasia can make dry or sweet wines with plenty of aromatic intensity. Sweet, they tend to be honeyed and complex, while dry, they are typically clean and crisp but sometimes uninteresting.

Listan Blanco: Also known as Palomino, this grape is essential to the production of sherry. It is also very important to dry white wine production in the Canary Islands and expresses the minerality of the region’s terroir well.

Marmajuelo: Only found in the Canary Islands, Marmajuelo is only found in small quantities, as it can be difficult to grow. It is embraced, however, for its exotic fruit aromas and high acidity.

Other white grapes: Gual (a.k.a. Boal), Verdello (a.k.a. Verdelho), Forastera, Vijariego, Albillo, and more.

Many Italian grapes are named for their bounty. Carica l’Asino, which means “load the donkey,” either because the vine has high yields that allow farmers to load up the donkey with a lot of grapes or because donkeys were required to navigate the terrain. Native to Piedmonte, Italy it’s often blended with local white grapes such as Favorita and Cortese. This white grape yields wine that is all about the countryside: honeycomb grass, and stone fruit.

Chardonnay – Semillon (aka SemChard) is a blend of two white French grape varieties that are most often combined in Australia. Together, the two make a full-bodied white wine with waxy, tropical flavors.

Both Chardonnay and Semillon are native to France, the blend is strictly a New World phenomenon.However for the most part the blend is made into low-cost table wine for immediate consumption .

The Chardonnay to adds tropical flavors to the blend and Semillon adds a richness to the Chardonnay as well as nut and straw flavors. Low acidity can be a challenge to winemakers of this style, as they are often produced in warmer climates. Oak maturation is sometimes used to add extra weight and spice the blend.

Heartier white wine dishes are the go-to here. The blend can often pair well with white meats and poultry such as roast chicken and thyme or hearty vegetarian dishes such as sautéed mushrooms on polenta. Fish too, should pair well, with a grilled barramundi providing a regional Australian pairing.

Cimixa is a white wine from Liguraia region of Italy. Bright straw yellow color. Fruity bouquet, in its youth expresses strong tendencies of tropical fruits that, when ripe, take on a complexity that expresses extremely elegant vegetal notes. Taste: expresses itself with a feeling of freshness and warmth; this impact, supported by a high sapidity and minerality give the wine a thick and long gustative persistence. It goes well with fish dishes and medium aged cheeses, white meats.”

Coda di Pecora is a white Italian wine grape variety that is grown in the Campania region of southern Italy, particularly in the province of Caserta. The name Coda di Pecora means “goat’s tail” in the local dialect.

Colombard (also known as French Colombard in North America) is a white French wine grape variety that may be the offspring of Chenin blanc and Gouais blanc. Colombard is one of the world’s great blending grapes, most famously used alongside Ugni Blanc and Folle Blanche in the production of Cognac and Armagnac.

This fairly neutral grape, once preferred solely for brandy production (notably Armagnac) is planted globally. Generally blended with other grapes, easy-drinking table wines result. It’s often blended with Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay to produce a tart, mouth-watering white that pairs excellently with lighter fare from salads to sushi. Despite its relative anonymity, the variety is among the most-planted white grape varieties in France, occupying a lot of land along the west coast in particular.

It has been used to make light, refreshing white wines in both South West France and in New World regions like California and South Africa. Colombard in South Africa is known as Colombar. Good food pairings include; baked trout with crème fraiche, whitebait fritters and lentil salad with walnuts and feta.

Gavi wine one of Italy’s most popular white wines is made from the Cortese white gape and the grape is native to southern Piedmont It’s a thin-skinned variety but tolerant of cold weather, and it is always high in acidity which carry notes of lime and herbs. While “crisp” and “racy” are still common descriptors for Cortese wines, the variety has a richer side and can be richer and rounder, with notes of golden apple and honey.

Emir is a white grape variety indigenous to Anatolia in central Turkey. Its name is a Turkish word for “order” or “command”, which is thought to stem from the wine’s popularity at the tables of aristocracy since Roman times.  Still wines tend to be crisp light and quite delicate, with flavors of green apple, citrus and pear. Most wines made from Emir are intended for early consumption, and do not tend to match well with oak aging. Emir’s high acidity makes it suitable for sparkling wine production as well. That style that is becoming more popular among Turkish producers.

Emir is often counted as one of Turkey’s most renowned grape varieties. The variety finds its home in the high volcanic terroir in Anatolia, where altitudes reach as high as 1,200 meters (4,000ft) above sea level. The variation between day- and night-time temperatures that this altitude causes helps the grapes ripen more slowly. This contributes to the high acidity and mineral qualities the typical Emir wine exhibits.

Synonyms include: Akuezuem.

Recommended food pairings include; Sushi (sparkling), Ceviche (sparkling or still), Grilled codfish with Swiss chard and sultanas (still).

Source: Wine Searcher

Est! Est! Est! is the most famous white wine of Montefiascone, Italy. It got its name from the story of a German Bishop who sent his servant ahead to taste the wines along his route of travel, leaving messages on the walls of inns and taverns to tell his master whether he should drink the wine or avoid it. “Est” (it is) meant the wine was good, while “Non est” (it isn’t) told the Bishop to move on. It is clear that the servant saw considerable virtue in the wines of Montefiascone, as indicated by his “Est! Est! Est!!! scrawled on the wall.

Today’s Est! Est! Est! is based on Trebbiana and Mavasia bianca. They are typically dry but can be made in a sweeter style. The wines are mildly aromatic and are classically paired with fritto misto or deep-fried artichokes.

The Famoso is a white grape variety that was rediscovered in Emilia Romagna after years of neglect thanks to some producers who believed in it and it is now making a return in the wine offer of the region. The Famoso, famous in Italian, is known for its “strong” nose, characteristic that had made winemakers abandon the grape for more “anonymous grapes”. Nowadays, its characteristic nose is what is making winemakers to rediscover the grape and is becoming more and more popular. The Famoso grape produces a pale straw yellow wine, which can take green reflections, with a very intense fruity and floral nose that reminds of the moscato grape.

Greco di Tufo is a white grape (a clone of Greco Bianco) and a wine from Campania Italy. The name Tufo refers not only to one of the villages from which the wine comes, but also the type of rock on which the village was built. Known as tuff in English – but distinct from limestone tufa – it is made of ash ejected during an eruption which then compacts. Greco di Tufo wines stand out thanks to the unique characteristics of the sulfur- and tuff-rich volcanic and clay soils; it is believed that these lend the wine its perfume and mineral complexity.

The refreshing, crisp white wines are known for their aromatic notes of lemons, pears and toasted almonds and a lingering mineral finish. The wines are generally at their best within three years of bottling. The wines must contain a minimum of 85 percent Greco di Tufo grapes. Up to 15 percent of Coda di Volpe Bianca is also permitted. A sparkling Greco di Tufo spumante variant can also be made, and must be aged for at least three years prior to release.

Gringet is an indigenous white wine grape from Haute-Savoie, France that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. It is mainly used in the Ayze AOC sparkling wine production. The wine grape grown on the hills above the lower Vallee de l’Arve, in the French Alps (Haute-Savoie).

Gringet is used to make both still and sparkling wines. The aromas are light, marked by floral scents. Most famous wine made from this grape is Ayze a Sparkling wine.

Hondarrabi Zuri is a white grape that is native of the Basque Country, Spain. It produces a pale yellow wine, with aromas of citrus fruit, ripe fruit, herbs and flowers. It is the main grape used to make Txakoli wine.

Madeleine Angevine is a white wine grape from the Loire Valley in France that is also popular in Germany, Kyrgyzstan and Washington state. The early-ripening grape is a cross between Madeleine Royale and Malingre Précoce grapes that grows well in cooler climates. Madeleine Angevine makes an attractive fruity wine with a flowery nose, similar to an Alsatian Pinot blanc. It is crisp, acid and dry and pairs particularly well with seafoods such as crab and oyster.

In Washington State, the grape has developed a cult following in the Puget Sound region for its floral character and easy-drinking nature.

Madeleine Royale is a variety of white grape. It is mostly grown for table grapes or ornamental purposes, but is notable as a parent of Müller-Thurgau and Madeleine Angevine. In Washington State, the grape has developed a cult following in the Puget Sound region for its floral character and easy-drinking nature.

Malingre Précoce is a white variety of grape of French origin used primarily as table grape and to some extent for wine. It was first cultivated by a French gardener named Malingre in the vicinity of Paris around 1840, who created it from seedlings of unknown origin.

“Malvasia” is a name shared by a collection of unrelated white grapes. Among the Malvasias, Malvasia di Candia Aromatica is one of the best. The grape is one of Emilia Italy’s most important, especially in Colli Piacentini, Colli di Parma, and Reggio Emilia, though it also grows in Lombardy and Lazio. It evokes aromas of flowers, citrus, ginger, and cinnamon balanced by acidity, and its tannic skins also do well in skin contact wines. In Emilia, Malvasia can be light and fresh, with bright citrus notes, or it can be complex and savor by macerating it on

its skins for four months before aging, leading to notes of dried flowers, honey, and orange peel.

Source: Italian Wine by Shelley Lindgren & Kate Leahy

Mantonico bianco is a white Italian wine grape variety that is grown in the Calabria region of southern Italy. Ampelographers believe that the grape is likely of Greek origins and was transported to southern Italy by ancient Greek settlers. Though the variety has a long history in Calabria, its numbers have been slowly declining with 1100 hectares/2700 acres planted in the region by the end of the 20th century.

Mantonico bianco is a permitted grape variety in several Denominazione di origine controllata wines including the Bivongi DOC located on the slopes of Mount Consolino. Here Montonico makes up to 30-50% of the blend along with Greco bianco and Guardavalle with Ansonica and Malvasia bianca permitted to make up an additional 30-50% and other non-aromatic white grape varieties permitted up to 30%. Montonico grapes destined for DOC wine production must be harvested to a yield no greater than 12 tonnes/hectare with the finished wine needing to attain a minimum alcohol level of at least 10.5%.

In the Pollino DOC in southern Calabria, vineyards planted in the shadows of the Pollino massif can include Montonico bianco for blending with the Gaglioppo (Montonico nero) grape in the red wines of the DOC. While Gaglioppo makes up at least 60% of the blend and Greco nero allowed to make up to 40%, Mantonico bianco is permitted up to 40% along with Guarnaccia bianca and Malvasia bianca. All other white grape varieties are limited to accounting for no more than 20% of the blend. Grapes are limited to yields of 11 tonnes/ha with the finished wines needing to reach at least 12% alcohol by volume.

Nascetta is a white grape grown around Novello in Piemonte Italy. It is considered to produce the most complex, ageable white wine of the region thanks to its densely complex fruit and spice aromas and texture.

Nascetta presents an incredible cluster of stone and tropical fruits, fine herbs, and river pebble minerality. Flavors include grapefruit pith, juicy mango, and tarragon. It’s part Riesling, part Chenin Blanc, part white Rhone, part Sémillon: alive, tightly packed, and clearly ageable. The ripe fruit notes now will undoubtedly turn to honey, dried fruit, and pecan with a few years of aging. Full body, clear acidity, with a smooth texture at first that gives way to a fine grainy mouthfeel as it dissipates on the finish.

Nascetta is a semi aromatic white variety historic grape of Barolo, Italy. It thrives in the town’s limestone soils. The sensitive variety has lower-than-average acidity, but it makes a pleasant fruity wine with a distinctly saline finish-the kind that would appeal to those who love Vermentino.

This wine is perfect for most any shellfish dish, but is also great for any lighter meal.

Source: The Wine Guild Charlottesville, VA

Nosiola (or Groppello bianco) is a white Italian wine grape variety that is grown in the Trentino region north of Lake Garda in the Valle dei Laghi. Here it is used in varietal Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) wines and as a blending component in wines such as Sorni Bianco from Trento. It is also used to produce a dessert wine in the Vin Santo style from grapes that have been allowed to dry out prior to fermentation.

Ampelographers believe that the name Nosiola is derived from the Italian word nocciola (hazelnut) which could be a reference to the characteristic toasted hazelnut aromas that varietal examples of Nosiola exhibit.

After harvest Nosiola berries are usually laid out on straw mats (like these Trebbiano grapes in Tuscany) for further desiccation (drying) to

Nosiola (or Groppello bianco) is a white Italian wine grape variety that is grown in the Trentino region north of Lake Garda in the Valle dei Laghi. Here it is used in varietal Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) wines and as a blending component in wines such as Sorni Bianco from Trento. It is also used to produce a dessert wine in the Vin Santo style from grapes that have been allowed to dry out prior to fermentation.

Ampelographers believe that the name Nosiola is derived from the Italian word nocciola (hazelnut) which could be a reference to the characteristic toasted hazelnut aromas that varietal examples of Nosiola exhibit.

After harvest Nosiola berries are usually laid out on straw mats (like these Trebbiano grapes in Tuscany) for further desiccation (drying) to make Vin Santo.

Nosiola is the primary component in the white wines from the Sorni DOC where it constitutes 70% of the blend with Müller-Thurgau, Sylvaner verde and Pinot blanc permitted to fill in the remaining 30%. Nosiola destined for DOC production must be harvested to a yield no greater than 14 tonnes/hectare with the finished wines needing to attain a minimum alcohol level of at least 10%.

According to Master of Wine Jancis Robinson, Nosiola produces very aromatic light-bodied wines that can have a slight bitter note. As a dry varietal wine, these notes can include citrus, apricot and peach fruit flavors as well as characteristic subtle hazelnut note. When made as a Vin Santo, often aided by the effect of noble rot on the late harvested grapes, the wines are more fuller-bodied and luscious with notes of orange peel, apricot, lime, pineapple and quince.

Some describe Nosiola wine as having apple and lemon notes with some minerality.

Ortrugo a white grape grows in both Emilia and Romagna, Italy. Ortrugo and is especially important around the Trebbia Valley and the hills around Piacenza in Emilia. It’s often blended with Malvasia di Candia Aromatica, and this is how Ortrugo got its original name-altruga meaning “other grape.” As a wine, it’s light and minerally, often accented with orange blossom, green apple, and lime. It also makes refreshing sparkling wines.

Source: Italian Wine by Shelley Lindgren & Kate Leahy

The  Oltrepo Pavese Metodo Classico is an Italian spumante sparkling wine made in the traditional method (metodo classico) whereby Pinot Nero (Noir) is vinified as a white, with the possible additions of up to 30% Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay. Sparkling Oltrepo Pavese Metodo Classico was awarded its own DOCG classification in 2007. The DOC is located in the south of Lombardy‘s Pavia province.

In the past in Italy, grapes were occasionally named by farmers as productive vines after the quantity of grapes they yielded. Piedmont has Carica l’Asino, which means “load up the donkey,” and Sicily grows Carricante, which comes from carrico, meaning “loaded.” In the case of Pagadebit (aka Mostosa), a white grape the name stems from “pay the debts” since the variety was friendly to a farmer’s bottom line. Pagadebit is not a specific grape, instead, it’s either the local Mostosa grape or the Bombino Bianco grape from Puglia. The Romagna Pagadebit DOC requires a minimum of 85 percent Bombino Bianco, though Romagna producers interchange Bombino Bianco with Mostosa. For all anyone knows, the two grapes are one in the same. More than anything, Pagadebit is a fun story about how Italian grape names came about way back when.

Source: Italian Wine by Shelley Lindgren & Kate Leahy

Palomino is a white grape mostly from Spain. The grape has sub-varieties Palomino Fino, Palomino Basto, and Palomino de Jerez, of which Palomino Fino is by far the most important, being the principal grape used in the manufacture of sherry. The wine formed by fermentation of the grape is low in both acidity and sugar which, while suitable for sherry, ensures that any table wine made from it is of a consistently low quality, unless aided by acidification. It is the fourth most common white grape variety grown in Spain.. There are substantial plantings in Andalusia for sherry production, and it is also widely grown on the Canary Islands, and in Galicia.

In France, it is referred to as Listán, and in South Africa as Fransdruif or White French. It is also found in Australia and California where it is also used mainly to produce fortified wines. The wine-must has tendency to oxidise quickly, a characteristic that can be ignored when used for sherry production.

Source: Wikipedia

Parellada is a Spanish white grape variety of Catalan origin specially grown in Catalonia, Spain. With Macabeu and Xarel·lo, it is one of the three traditional varieties used to make the sparkling wine Cava, which is primarily produced in Catalonia. Besides its use in Cava, it is used mostly for blending in young white wines, although some more ambitious oaked blends with Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc are also used.

Pecorello Bianco is a white wine grape variety native to Italy where it is grown in the Calabria region (where it may also be called Pecorella). It is not related to the red  Pecorello grape found in the Savuto DOC. In Calabria it is found mainly in the Valle del Savuto and in Catanzaro and especially Cosenza provinces. It usually forms part of a blend in approachable white wines. It comprises 85-100% in Terre di Cosenza DOC Pecorello and in several IGT wines. It produces wines with good total acidity yet with high pH values

The Petite Arvine grape is white grape native of Valais, in Switzerland, from where it has crossed the border and spread in to the Aosta Valley. According to a study, the Petite Arvine grape derives from the grape Prié, native of the Aosta Valley and also grown in France. The Petite Arvine grape is so called because of the size of its berries, petite is small in French. The grape not only is suited, but has a knack for growing in altitude, and for that reason it is nicknamed “grape of the glaciers.” Certainly adapted to the Aosta Valley’s landscape, the Petite Arvine is a variety that is characterized by high intensity and pleasantness of its wines, as well as an inclination to ageing. The Petite Arvine berry is white, small, spheroid with thin, solid, waxy, yellowish green skin. The bunch is medium, pyramidal, elongated, often bi-winged, and compact with a medium-large, pentagonal leaf and has medium vigor and good productivity.

The Petite Arvine grapes produces straw yellow wines, with intense and complex nose, floral, with hints of violets and wisteria. On the palate, the wine fresh, refreshing, with a lively acidity and medium to full body.

Picardan or Picardan blanc is a white wine grape which is one of 13 permitted blending grapes within the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC in Rhône wine region in France, although very little planted. It was apparently more common before phylloxera’s arrival in the 19th century. There are small production both in France and California

The Picardan grape can produce a complex, savory nose of lime, peppery citrus leaf, and briny oyster shell. On the palate, very bright with flavors of lemon and fresh green herbs, crushed rock, and sweet spice. It offers zippy acids and lingering saline minerality.

Once prized by European royals, Picolit is one of Italy’s oldest native white grapes. Grown in the Colli Orientali hills, it gets its name from the size of its grape bunches. Since Picolit has trouble pollinating and growing grapes to maturity, a bunch may contain only ten to twenty grapes, so the vines concentrate all their energy into these paltry bunches. (In com-parison, a bunch of Chardonnay has one hundred to two hundred grapes.

Picolit grapes hang on the vine late in the year, air-drying before harvest The result is a golden, sweet wine with notes of apricot, ginger, and pear.

Pigato is an Italian white grape variety from Liguria in north-west Italy. Pigato wine is straw yellow colored with green hints and has concentrated fruit, florals, aromatic herbs, and mineral notes. It is fresh and soft with a light to medium body with high yet balanced acidity. Alcohol content is around 10.5% to 13%. It’s aftertaste is persistent and pleasingly bitter with almond tones. Its acidity and bitter notes make Pigato an ideal aperitif.  It is vinified in IGP Terrazze dell’Imperiese and Riviera Ligure di Ponente DOC.

Pignoletto (aka Grechetto di Todi) a white grape. Its name means “little pine cone,” which refers to the shape of the grape bunches. Pignoletto is a white wine from  the Pignoletto DOC an Italian appellation in Emilia-Romagna from Grechetto di Todi. It was created in 2014. DNA profiling has shown it is in fact Grechetto di Todi, aka Grechetto Gentile. This raised the threat of producers in other regions and countries labelling their wines made from Grechetto di Todi as Pignoletto. Therefore, to maintain control of the “brand”, producers in the region decided that Pignoletto would now be applied to a geographic zone. From 2014 the only wines labelled with Pignoletto those from the new DOC, and those from the revised, renamed Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto DOC. The former will encompass the varietal Grechetto di Todi wines of other Emilia-Romagna designations. Three of these – Colli d’Imola, Modena and Reno – may appear on labels as subzones. Pignoletto wines may be still, sparkling, late harvest or passito in style. All must contain at least 85 percent Grechetto di Todi.A historical grape from the limestone-clay soils in the hills around Bologna, Italy. Pignoletto makes a saline, light wine with hints of lime, chamomile, and ripe apple. It can be made as a sparkling wine or a light-to-medium bodied still wine. Some producers, make richer, nuttier versions with extended skin contact. In Umbria, the grape goes under the name Grechetto di Todi and is one of the varieties used in the white wines of Orvieto.

Source: Italian Wine by Shelley Lindgren & Kate Leahy

Pošip is an indigenous white wine grape that is primarily grown in the Dalmatian region of Croatia on the island of Korčula, Smokvica although small amounts are also being grown on the Pelješac Peninsula. It producer wines with golden hue and citrus guided touches with the flavors of baked apple, quince, hint of vanilla and toasted bread.  The rich mouthfeel is balanced by bright acidity that lifts and maintains freshness on the long finish with flavors of dried almonds and apricots.

Suggested food pairings include seafood dishes, particularly with fish and roasting meats.

Prié Blanc is a white grape variety grown mostly in the alpine extremes of northwest Italy’s Valle d’Aosta. These high altitude, pergola-trained vines are most notable for thriving in terroirs that are resistant to phylloxera and the minerally, floral white wines they produce under the Blanc de Morgex et de la Salle DOC. In a perfect demonstration of the synergy between terroir and variety, Prié Blanc is adapted to its mountainous homeland and has been used in Aosta wines since at least the 17th Century. It thrives in altitudes that reach as high as 3,900 feet (1,200m) above sea level as it buds late, avoiding spring frosts, and ripens early. Prié Blanc is customarily trained low to the ground in pergolas to capitalize on the heat retained in the soils, helping to negate the effects of cold mountain nights. The phylloxera louse does not thrive in the sandy, gravelly soils at this altitude which means that Prié Blanc is ungrafted which is unlike almost every other Vitis vinifera variety in Europe. Vines are planted on their original rootstocks and have an average age of around 60 years, giving smaller yields that make for concentrated, complex wines.

Blanc de Morgex et de la Salle wines are usually dry and still, characterized by their bone-dry style, searing acidity and the hint of mountain herbs – not unlike cool-climate Sauvignon Blanc. A few sweet and sparkling examples exist as well. Outside of Italy, Prié Blanc is also planted in the similarly alpine vineyards of Valais in Switzerland. Synonyms include: Blanc de Valdigne, Prié, Blanc de Morgex et de la Salle.

Food pairings for Prie Blanc wines include: Gnocchi with mountain herbs, Lemon sole with asparagus and Broad bean and goats’ cheese salad.

Berat, a UNESCO world heritage site located in central-southern Albania, is also home to Pulës or Puls, a white variety. This white wine is best known for its aromas of white flowers, a long finish, and pronounced acidity. The acidity can be a little overwhelming in the first year … but after one to two years, Puls becomes a very nice, balanced wine.

Source: Samantha Maxwell Instagram @samseating

Rabigato is a rare Portuguese white wine grape variety, mainly cultivated in the Douro Superior. It is also grown in the adjacent uplands of Trás-os-Montes and downriver around the city of Porto. Its name means cat’s tail; this seems to refer to the shape of the grape clusters.

The variety produces lively, crisp wines with subtle floral aromas which can often age well while retaining freshness. However, these characteristics have led to Rabigato being valued as a blending partner for lower-acid varieties, and it is most often used as a component of the Douro region’s white wine blends. Single variety bottlings are becoming slightly more common as the variety gains recognition for its quality. Rabigato is one of the oldest grape varieties grown in the country. Written records date back to the first half of the 16th century.

It is a vine with medium vigor and crop yields, and the fruit ripens early. It is adaptable to various rootstocks but prefers dry soils and a moderate climate. The vines are sensitive to both powdery and downy mildew. Typically, the small, green-yellow grapes preserve their acidity during ripening and are relatively low in sugar concentration.

Though wine-making and aging in stainless steel is typical, some Rabigato wines are aged in barrel for a year or more. Lees ageing may be used to give some roundness to wines.

Rieslaner is a white breed cross of the Silvaner and Riesling grape that was first bred in Veitshöcheim, Franconia, Germany in 1921 by the grape breeder August Ziegler. It is a late ripening grape that is fairly high in acidity. Today it is mostly grown in the Franconia (Franken) region and in the Palatinate (Pfalz) region where the grape is often affected by botrytis. Rieslaner is bred to do well with botrytis, and it holds a lot of potential to form an acidic, fruity, and full yield when it is ripened.

Ribolla Gialla is an ancient white variety from the Friuli Venezia Giulia region of northeast Italy. Its wines are typically light in body and offer fruity, floral aromas, as well as bright acidity.

The wine can produce a more New World style with some oak aging. A number of producers ferment the variety with its skins, to produce a more substantial style, now commonly known as orange wine. As the wine ages, it can develop some nutty flavors. In Friuli Venezia Giulia, the wines of the southern regions have a little more body than the wines of the central regions.

Sauvignon Gris is a pink-berried mutation of the white Sauvignon Blanc grape. It most likely originated around Bordeaux but has found itself quite at home in Chile. Sauvignon Gris is thinly scattered across other parts of the wine world, including Uruguay, New Zealand, the United States, and Switzerland.

Sauvignon Gris is less aromatic than its Sauvignon Blanc sibling. Wines produced from Sauvignon Gris tend to be richer and more voluptuous in texture than Sauvignon Blanc, with ripe fruit flavors of mango and melon as well as citrus notes. The wines are usually dry and tend to have some of the herbaceous notes so typical of the Sauvignon family.

Sauvignon Gris is also often blended with Sauvignon Blanc, including examples where the former is a minor (usually uncredited) component of New World varietal Sauvignon Blanc wines.

Fié, or Fié Gris, is an alternate, traditional name for the clone in the Touraine wine region.

Great food pairings for Sauvignon Gris include: Scallops with mushrooms and white wine, Garlic prawns and caramelized onion with goat’s cheese.

Siegerrebe (literally “Victory vine” in German) is a white wine grape that is grown primarily in Germany with some plantings in England, Vancouver Island, Washington state British Columbia’s North Okanagan and Fraser Valley and Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley along with a small planting in Tasmania, Australia and in the Finger Lakes AVA in New York State. Siegerrebe was created by German viticulturist Dr. Georg Scheu (1879-1949) in 1929 at a grape-breeding institute in Alzey in Rheinhessen, by crossing Madeleine Angevine and Gewürztraminer.

The vine is suited to colder climates as bud-burst is late and fruit ripening is very early however due to these traits bird depredation is serious and attack by wasps can be a problem. The vines are fruitful and vigor is low with grape bunches being large, red tinge in color and loosely packed.

Siegerrebe easily reaches high must weights but despite high must weights the wine tends to be very low in acid. The acid tends to drop rapidly in the grape as ripeness approaches. The finished wine has an intense aroma reminiscent of Muscat and tends to be used in blending rather than a varietal wine, however the flavor is reminiscent of Gewürztraminer. Many Siegerrebe wines are high in extract and yellow-green to golden yellow in color. In Washington State, Siegerrebe is grown only on the west side of the Cascade Mountain, in the Puget Sound AVA and in the SW Washington region, it is undoubtedly the most popular white grape with the west side growers.

Spergola is finicky white grape from Emilia Italy. It needs a fair amount of ventilation to avoid mildew; plus, the grape’s thin skins don’t do well with machine harvesting.

Source: Italian Wine by Shelley Lindgren & Kate Leahy

If we ever need one more example of why it’s crucial to maintain biodiversity, remember the white grape Tazzelenghe. The grape’s name comes from “tongue cutter” in local language, likely because the grape made harsh, acidic wines when it was picked before it was ripe. It’s a lot easier to get Tazzelenghe to ripen in our warming climate, though, and the variety is primed for a comeback. Grown in the Colli Orientali, Italy and often used in blends, it can make an elegant, violet-hued wine on its own, with crisp floral aromas and tart blackberries and currants, all paired with unflagging acidity and tannins. For people looking for wines to pair with rich foods, Tazzelenghe checks all the boxes. Only a handful of winemakers work with the grape in single-variety wines.

Source: Italian Wine by Shelley Lindgren & Kate Leahy

First things first: the white grape from Collio, Italy is called Tocai Friulano, and the wine it makes is called Friulano. However, the wine used to be called Tocai, and many still call it that. The confusion was born out of European law. Hungary was admitted to the European Union in 2004, and in 2007, the Hungarian sweet wine Tokaji became a protected name. Other wines with similar names had to be changed, leaving Friulian winemakers to shorten their local wine to “Friulano.” Still, the grape is beloved to the region, where it’s been documented since the twelfth century. When someone pours you a tajut di blanc (glass of white wine) at a local bar, most of the time it’s Friulano though they’ll call it Tocai. Genetically, Tocai Friulano is identical to Sauvignonasse, which grows in Chile. It is a vigor-us wine that is lighter, with more saline notes in ess sunny, cooler areas, while it becomes richer and higher in alcohol in warm areas. The roundest, richest versions of Friulano come from the Collio, but the grape can yield everything from bright, mineral-scented wines to full-bodied, round wines with notes of apple, almond, and white peach. Some have funky cave-like aroma, and others are all about wet one and flint. In the glass, Friulano is pale green to pale straw in color. With pleasant, citrus-like acidity and notes of almonds and white flowers, it is eminently food friendly, a classic pairing with prosciutto di San Daniele.

Source: Italian Wine by Shelley Lindgren & Kate Leahy

Trebbiano Romagnolo a white grape is heavily planted in Romagna Italy’s western plains near the Adriatic because it’s a hardy vine, capable of producing a lot of grapes with low risk of mildew or botrytis. It is also grown to make concentrated grape must (juice) and brandy. Some grapes can take on golden or red skins when ripe, and these vines are considered higher quality than run-of-the-mill Trebbiano. It makes a light, everyday wine, the kind to drink chilled in the summer.

Source: Italian Wine by Shelley Lindgren & Kate Leahy

Verdeca is a white Italian wine grape variety that is primarily grown in Apulia in southern Italy where ampelographers believe that the grape may have originated. In Apulia, it is one of the main grapes in the Denominazione di origine controllata wines of Locorotondo DOC and Martina Franca DOC along with Bianco d’Alessano. In Campania, it is grown on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius where it used as a blending variety with Falanghina, Coda di volpe and Greco in both the white wines and the sweet dessert wine of the region, Lacryma Christi.

Vidiano is Crete’s Leading white grape emerging from obscurity to spread from its home in Rethymno, on the west end of the island, across Crete and to some of the other Aegean islands and to the Greek mainland. Vidiano can produce wines with immense textural interest. It retains its acidity even at higher alcohols, opening the door to a combination of weight and freshness that many grape varieties would struggle to match.

Vitovska (aka Vitouska, aka Slovene aka Vitovska Grganja aka Garganja), is an obscure Italian and Slovene white wine grape predominantly planted in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region and the Karst Plateau in the Slovenian Littoral. The grape is now mostly found Northeast Italy. The grape produces a pale dry  lower alcohol ​white wine with a wide range of flavors. The flavors range from stonefruit, citrus, apples and cherries, to jasmine flowers and smoke. It is a cross between the Prosecco Tondo grape and Malvasia Bianca Lunga

Volits is a white French grape and is the first new grape variety by the L’Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité (Inao) for the production of Champagne AOC. This new breed is the first resistant grape variety to be included in a French appellation which is resistant to downy and powdery mildew. It is a trial of a grape variety with “sustainable resistance” (ResDur1) that allows drastically reducing phytosanitary treatments against fungal diseases (downy mildew and powdery mildew) in the appellation field.
Source: Vitisphere

The Zibibbo grape, also knowns as Muscat of Alexandria, is a white grape variety member of the Muscat family thought to originate from Egypt, specifically from the city of Alexandria hence the name, and widely planted in the Mediterranean basin, from Spain to Egypt and in Italy growth mainly in Sicily and its islands. The Zibibbo is mostly used to produce “passiti”, dessert wines, and its most famous expression is the Passito di Pantelleria from the Pantelleria island, but it is also found and made as still white wines.

The wines made from Zibibbo have a color that varies from light yellow to amber or golden if the grapes are dried and the wine made as “passiti”. Their nose is intense, aromatic, with hints of candied citrus fruits and dried fruit. To the palate, the wines are smooth and soft, fresh, balanced and great structure.