The sun’s out: it’s white wine time

The floral, herbal scents of lighter white wines seem to echo those of summer. Their crisp citrus notes are a perfect accompaniment to those lighter salad dishes that we enjoy on bright sunny days, as well as being a great accompaniment to fish, seafood and chicken. Once the days begin to get longer, even if the sun isn’t shining, we tend to drink more white wines than red. As a bonus, most white tend to be lower in alcohol than reds and less likely to be over-powered by oak flavours

Finding a light red wine can be a challenge. Fortunately when it comes to summery white wines we really are spoilt for choice. I could have filled the entire page with recommendations from around the world: Semillon from Australia, Sauvignon from New Zealand and Chile, Tórrontes from Argentina, Grüner Veltliner from Austria, a host of white wines from the Loire Valley and south-west France, and of course, Riesling from Germany, Alsace, Australia and Austria. There are also plenty of options from Eastern Europe and Greece, and some magnificent fresh mouth-watering white wines from the north-west of Spain. As a general rule, cooler climates tend to excel in this style of wine, but virtually every country seems to be able to offer something in the way of fresh reviving white wines.

However, one nation has improved the quality and variety of its range out of all recognition in recent years. Once derided for its insipid white wines, Italy is now attracting huge interest. Instead of being offered a very limited range, largely made up of poor cheap Soave and watery Frascati, now every region of Italy seems to have its own unique varieties, each with its own individual personality. The Italians generally prefer their white wines to be light and not too full of flavour; they are seen as an accompaniment to fairly plain fish dishes, a vinous squeeze of lemon to bring the seafood to life. That doesn’t mean the wines lack in character or interest though – Italian white wines offer some of the most distinctive original flavours of all.

Leaving aside Pinot Grigio, we are probably still most familiar with the two wine mentioned above, Soave and Frascati. Both can be very good if bought from a reputable source. Many will have come across Gavi, made from the Cortese grape in Piemonte. But virtually every region has its own indigenous white varieties, some of them world class. Across the north, Trentino Alto-Adige and Friuli-Venezia Giula produce some of the finest (and most expensive) white wines of Italy. You will find local varieties, but these are two regions where you are likely to find Sauvignon, Chardonnay and other international grapes. The Veneto, in addition to a sea of Pinot Grigio, has Lugana, Custoza and Soave. Custoza and Soave are given backbone by the Garganega grape. The most widely planted (and least flavoursome) white grape in Italy is Trebbiano. The same variety is used to make balsamic vinegar in Modena, and brandy in France. However, a specific local clone makes wines of real quality in Lugana.

The eastern coastline, which includes the Abruzzo and Marches is better known for its red wines but increasingly, with Verdicchio and Pecorino produces very interesting high quality white wines. Further south, inland from Naples, the Campania region has three unique varieties with a history dating back to Roman, or possibly ancient Greek, times. Thanks to modern winemaking, Fiano, Greco and Falanghina have been rediscovered and offer their own distinctive aromas and flavours. Sardinia can produce some toothsome white wines too, usually based on Vermetino. Even Sicily in the far south manages, through early picking, to produce fresh whites at around 12 per cent alcohol from the local Inzolia, Grillo and Catarratto grape varieties.

I can’t see Pinot Grigio being replaced as a house wine by any of the wines above. Some are made in limited quantities and often only in one specific region. Most can be happily drunk on their own, and would make great sipping wines on summer evenings. However, like most Europeans, the Italians rarely drink wine without food; with a plate of crisply fried squid, a fillet of hake with herbs, or a bowl of shellfish, these wines come into their own and deserve to be ranked amongst the most enjoyable white wines of all.

Do you know any great wines with awful labels? If so, we'd welcome your input for a forthcoming
column on the subject. Please
email your suggestions to jwilson@irishtimes.com