Italian Wine Guide

Food, romance, and wine - probably the first 3 things most people think of when they think of Italy. And with good reason - Italy was the largest producer and exporter of wine in 2020. Wine is big business for the Italians - every single region in Italy produces wine, and the country is home to some of the oldest wine producing regions in the world. Italy produces a wider selection of wines than any other country. 

Wines are produced from almost 600 different grape varieties, so whatever your taste, Italy will have a wine for you! But with so much choice, it can be difficult to know where to start when choosing an Italian wine. In this blog, we will explore some of the best and most popular Italian wines, and introduce you to some of the reduced calorie Italian wines we have available at DrinkWell. 

Types of Italian White Wine 

Whilst many people may associate Italy with red wine, it actually also produces many classy and popular white wines. Let's have a look at some of what Italy has to offer for the white wine fans among us.  

Pinot Grigio

By far the most well known Italian white wine is Pinot Grigio. Made from Pinot Gris grapes, this zesty white wine is commonly produced in Northeastern regions including Lombardy, Veneto, Alto Adige, Friuli, and Trentino. Alto Adige DOC wines are widely considered to be one of the best Pinot Grigios.

In general, a Pinot Grigio is light, dry and crisp, often with a punchy acidity. The citrus flavours often found in a Pinot Grigio makes them the perfect accompaniment to fish, salads, and light chicken dishes. Pinot Grigio is a good all round wine, and if you drink white wine chances are you are well acquainted with it already!

Soave Wine

Soave is a dry white wine from the Veneto region in Northern Italy. It is primarily made from Garganega grapes, which are traditionally grown around the medieval village of Soave (hence the name!). Trebbiano di Soave and Chardonnay grapes are also permitted in the Soave zone, which has both DOC and DOCG classified regions within it. 

Most Soave wines are dry and still, though sparkling appellations are also permitted. Wines are generally crisp, light, or medium bodied and tend to age very well. Flavours you can expect to find in a bottle of Soave wine include peach, orange zest, pear, or apple. Soave pairs well with chicken, Italian seafood, and gnocchi. 

Pecorino Wine

Although the first thing you think of when you hear the name Pecorino might be the cheese, it is also the name given to a beautifully crisp and aromatic Italian white wine. Pecorino grows well in a variety of conditions, so you can find it in a number of regions in Italy, including Marche, Abruzzo, Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio. The grape is used to produce both DOCG and DOC wines. 

Pecorino grapes are sweet and as such tend to produce quite high alcohol wines with high acidity. You can expect to find flavours of soft fruits, herbs, and florals. Incidentally, the wine pairs well with Pecorino cheese, as well as white fish and chicken dishes. 

Italian White Wines available at DrinkWell 

Tempted by an Italian white? You’re in the right place - DrinkWell have a large selection of lower calorie Italian White Wines available to order from our website. 

Piattini Pinot Grigio

Sourced directly from the rolling hillside vineyards of Friuli and the Veneto, Piattini Pinot Grigio contains just 79 calories per 125ml glass. What’s more, it is completely carb free, making it perfect for those following a keto diet. With a zesty citrus and lightly floral aroma, we think this wine is perfect for enjoying with light meals, picnics, or summer barbecue dishes such as starters, salads, fish, and grilled chicken. Best of all, this wine comes at the great price of £9.99 per bottle when purchased from the DrinkWell website.

Ca’ di Ponti Catarratto, IGT Terre Siciliane

Hailing from western Sicily, this is a ripe and versatile dry white wine with attractive aromatics of peach, honeysuckle and a hint of fennel. The wine is made from Catarratto grapes, which is the most planted grape variety in Sicily. It is suitable for vegans and for a gluten free diet, as well as containing just 81 calories per 125ml. Why not bring a bit of Sicilian sunshine to your life and order yourself a bottle from the DrinkWell website for £8.99. 

Prosecco  

Probably one of Italy’s biggest success stories (well, aside from pizza and pasta of course!), Prosecco has gained huge popularity worldwide - a staggering 400 million bottles were sold across the globe last year! Prosecco is a DOC and DOCG white wine that is produced exclusively in Italy. Specifically, Prosecco is produced predominantly in the northern Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions of Italy. Like with Champagne in France, Prosecco can only legally be produced within this specific area of Italy, and it is named after the village ‘Prosecco’ in Trieste.

Prosecco is made from the Glera grape, and is nearly always sparkling or semi-sparkling in style - though still versions are also permitted. It is produced using a method called ‘Charmat’, which is a much cheaper and quicker production method than that used to make Champagne, which explains why it tends to be a much more affordable fizz option than Champagne. 

In terms of taste, Prosecco tends to have strong fruit and flower flavours, coupled with quite high acidity levels. It has light, frothy bubbles and is often described as vibrant and fresh. There are 4 sweetness levels of Prosecco: Brut, Extra-Dry, Dry, and Demi-Sec. Demi-Sec is the sweetest, and subsequently contains the most sugar, whilst Brut Proseccos are very dry and contain little or no residual sugar.

Prosecco available at DrinkWell 

Here at DrinkWell, we know how loveable Prosecco is. That’s why we have worked tirelessly to bring you the best lower calorie Prosecco options currently on the market. Below are some of our current favourites. 

Skinny Prosecco 1754

Skinny Prosecco 1754 is a lighter alternative to the best selling product, Prosecco 1754, containing up to 60% less sugar than the original. The grapes are grown on the south facing hillsides of a boutique vineyard in Veneto, Northern Italy. The winery where Skinny Prosecco 1754 is produced is over 400 years old, helping to create a truly authentic product. Skinny Prosecco is gluten free and suitable for vegans, and one 125ml glass will contain 85 calories. You can find Skinny Prosecco on the DrinkWell website for £14.99 per bottle. 

Skinny Witch Prosecco Brut DOCG

This DOCG Prosecco is our lowest calorie Prosecco, with just 69 calories per 125ml. Skinny Witch delivers the perfect balance between quality hand-picked grapes and decreased sugar content, forcing an increased use of grapes. This gives a naturally sweet sugar-free and carb-free sparkling wine. Why not order a bottle ready for your next celebration for £16.99 per bottle. 

Italian wines deliver a world of flavour, which you don’t need to sacrifice if you are looking to save a few calories while exploring new varieties. So why not give the lower calories wines listed above a try! 

For more lower calorie wines from around the world, visit the DrinkWell collection.

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