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Enjoy These 10 Amazing Italian White Wines at $32 or Less

Travel the boot of Italy with these new reviews of Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay and more rated up to 91 points, most priced less than $30

• By Rachel Whiteman

Nov 9, 2023

Tasting Highlights' wine reviews are fresh out of the tasting room, offering a sneak peek of our editors' most recent ratings—including scores and full tasting notes—to WineSpectator.com members.

It’s estimated that Italy is home to more than 500 hundred grape varieties, with a significant number used regularly for commercial wine production. Considering all of those varieties and Italy’s incredibly diverse range of climates and terroirs, wine drinkers are presented with a seemingly endless array of styles to enjoy. This week’s Tasting Highlights offers a deep dive into Italian white wines, featuring a variety of bottlings that scored at least 88 points. Even better, all are priced less than $35 and are sure to expand your palate and boost your understanding and confidence with Italian wines.

As one of Italy’s greatest success stories, Pinot Grigio remains the best-known variety in the country, and for good reason. It can make crowd-pleasing wines with undeniable freshness, ranging stylistically from crisp and easy-drinking to focused and minerally. The grape is grown throughout Northern Italian regions, including Friuli–Venezia-Giulia, Trentino–Alto Adige and Veneto. The large Delle Venezie DOC, encompassing 67,000 acres of vineyards across those three regions, offers impressive entry-level versions that draw value seekers with their wide availability and friendly prices. But for just a few dollars more, you can find excellent whites with more complexity and length from smaller appellations like Collio or Friuli Isonzo.

Other Italian White Grapes Beyond Pinot Grigio

While Pinot Grigio in Alto Adige just pulls to the lead in terms of vineyard acreage versus other varieties, a number of lesser-known grapes are worthy of their moment, especially as we turn to more autumn-appropriate wines. For instance, look to Kerner, a crossing of the Riesling and Trollinger grapes, or to Müller Thurgau, a crossing of Riesling and Madeleine Royale. Both varieties thrive in this environment: The warm sunny days of Alto Adige help ripen the grapes and develop their sweet citrus and stone fruit aromas, while cool nights preserve their acidity.

On the other side of Northern Italy in Piedmont, you'll find richness from the Nascetta grape, which makes whites with hallmark texture, creaminess and ageability. Once almost extinct, the variety has gained more popularity over the past 20 years, thanks largely to the efforts of its greatest champion, Barolo producer Elvio Cogno. That's not to mention the many other wineries throughout Italy that are better-known for red wine production, but are making high-quality and affordable whites today. Try styles made in Veneto’s Lugana subregion, as well as Passerina-based wines from Marche, Chardonnays from Tuscany and other versions from farther afield.

MONTE DEL FRÀ

Custoza Superiore Cà del Magro 2021

Score: 91 

WS review: This well-meshed white offers fine, lightly chalky texture and lively acidity, with notes of ripe melon, honeysuckle, quince paste, beeswax and green almond that are long and focused through the salt-tinged finish. Garganega, Trebbiano Toscano, Cortese and Chardonnay. Drink now through 2031. 7,000 cases made, 2,000 cases imported.—Alison Napjus