How many wine grape varieties are there in Italy.????

wine tasting Italy

Some say over 500, I have heard 750, any thoughts let me know. Here are 10 of the lessor known varieties coming back into vogue.

1. Timorasso (Piedmont) Timorasso is a revived, high-quality white grape from Piedmont, strongly associated with the Colli Tortonesi hills (around Tortona, in Alessandria). Once nearly lost, it’s now one of Italy’s most talked-about “rediscovered” whites. The variety is producing, argueably , some of Italy's most unique wines. Its difficult to make, for a lot of reasons, however its worth sourcing if you like minerally, herbaceous wine styles.

2. Pecorino (Abruzzo/Marche) dont be confused with the cheese bearing the same name. This is Italy's biggest success story of the 21st Century. It was near extinction back in 1980 until a vintage was made in 1990 from Pecorino mother plants when Cocci Grifoni made the the first official Pecorino wine. Usually crisp and aromatic, with lemon, grapefruit, green apple, pear, plus white flowers and sage/thyme-like herbal notes. Often finishes with a light almond or saline/mineral touch.

3. Nascetta (Piedmont) From Ian De Agata " there are native grapes that are found in only one country. Then there are native cultivars that are found in only in one region." This is a one town native. Only found in the hamlet of Novello. Revival: In the 1990s producers in and around Novello began identifying and replanting it, bottling it on its own and proving it could make distinctive, quality dry whites. Recognition: Its comeback led to official appellation recognition in the Langhe area (you’ll commonly see it labeled Langhe Nascetta), and it’s now considered one of Piedmont’s key “rediscovered” native whites.

   Traditional use: Historically it was valued locally for fragrant wines and was sometimes made in slightly richer styles; today it’s mostly produced as a dry, aromatic white, with some examples made to age.

4 Pallagrello Bianco is a rare white grape from northern Campania, best known today from the Caserta area (around the slopes of the extinct Roccamonfina volcano). It was historically prized, then largely disappeared after phylloxera and vineyard replanting, and has been revived over the last few decades. Pallagrello Bianco It typically delivers lemon zest, pear and yellow plum with white-floral and Mediterranean herbal notes, often finishing with a gentle almond nuance and, in some wines, a subtle salty-mineral edge. More about texture than razor-sharp acidity, Pallagrello Bianco can feel rounded and medium-bodied, whether made in crisp stainless-steel styles or richer versions with lees aging and restrained oak

5 Carricante (Etna, Sicily) It is a one zone variety, It’s grown mainly on Mount Etna, so total production is limited compared with big Italian whites.

For years it was used largely inside Etna Bianco blends, so the grape name wasn’t always highlighted on labels. It grows well at extremely high altitudes. There are only approx 300 hectares planted (as of 2024) and that is twice the amount from 2010. There are examples of this variety available, and being produced in Australia. Chalmers Wines are bringing root stock in and also producing the wine style.

6 Grillo (Sicily) Grillo became important to Marsala because it helped solve a practical problem for fortified wine: how to keep freshness and structure after fortification and long oxidative aging.

For much of the 19th and 20th centuries, Grillo was commonly used as a core blending grape (alongside varieties like Catarratto and Inzolia) in the base wines that would become Marsala. Producers could adjust blends depending on the style and house preference, but Grillo’s role was often to add backbone and longevity.

As demand for Marsala changed and plantings in western Sicily evolved, Grillo’s identity was sometimes “hidden” inside blends. The modern boom in dry, unfortified Grillo has brought the grape back into the spotlight, but its reputation was built in large part on its long-standing usefulness in Marsala’s fortified, oxidative tradition. In Australia the best examples of Grillo is Lino Ramble ( McLaren Vale )

7 Nerello Mascalese (Etna, Sicily) Nerello Mascalese is often called “lesser-known” mainly because it’s not widely planted or widely marketed outside its home region, even though it’s highly regarded.

Very regional: It’s strongly tied to Mount Etna in Sicily, with limited plantings elsewhere (mainly Calabria), so most wine drinkers don’t run into it often. However since Etna became the hottest region for wine production in Italy Nerello is the red everyone is talking about. Try the Benanti, its a standout example.

Smaller production: Etna has many small growers and relatively modest yields, so there’s less volume reaching mainstream shelves.

Export visibility: Compared with Italy’s big categories (Prosecco, Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Barolo), it gets less export and supermarket presence.

8 Schioppettino (Friuli) ( skiopotino)

Schioppettino, a red grape is grown in small quantities, mainly in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, especially around Colli Orientali del Friuli / Prepotto, so it’s not widely encountered. It was close to disappearing in the 20th century when a new law prohibited the planting of Schioppettinoin Prepotto, and it only regained momentum relatively recently, so it hasn’t built broad global recognition. Its a single region variety and has become somewhat of a cult wine in recent years. There are those who believe this variety is bound for stardom, with good reason.

Most production is from small estates and is sold locally or through specialist importers, not mass-market channels.Try Billy Button wines in Australia for this variety. The grape is also known as Ribolla Nera, and the unfamiliar name makes it harder to market internationally.

Overshadowed by Friuli whites: Friuli is better known globally for white wines, so its distinctive reds get less attention. Try Billy Button wines in Australia for this variety. The Wine Emporium in Brisbane also stocks a few.

9 Cesanese (Lazio)Deep roots in Lazio: Cesanese is one of Lazio’s signature red grapes, long associated with the hill towns southeast of Rome, particularly the area around Piglio (Ciociaria).

DOCG milestone: Its modern reputation is closely tied to Cesanese del Piglio, which was elevated to DOCG status—a useful historical marker showing official recognition of its quality potential.

From everyday wine to quality focus: For much of the 20th century it was often used for simple local reds (and sometimes blends), before a quality-driven shift toward lower yields and better sites helped redefine it.

Local naming/identity: The grape’s identity is strongly place-linked—adding a line about it being a “Rome/Lazio native” helps readers understand why it matters culturally, not just stylistically. Its a one region variety, with possibly 3 varieties of the Cesanese grape within the Lazio region.

10 Susumaniello (Puglia) Near-extinct to revived: Susumaniello (Puglia, especially Salento/Brindisi) was once widely replaced by higher-yielding grapes and survived in small old-vine pockets—so its return is a genuine “forgotten grape” comeback story. Itrs only been back on the radar for the past 2 decades

The name is often linked to “somarello” (little donkey), referencing how young vines could “carry” heavy crops—an easy, memorable detail for readers.

Versatile expressions: Producers use it for rosato (bright, savoury) and reds ranging from juicy and unoaked to more structured, sometimes with gentle oak—so it’s not a one-style grape.

Old vines + local identity: Many of the best examples come from older vineyards and are strongly tied to a specific part of Puglia, giving it authenticity and a clear sense of place.

Ian D'Agata is the authur of what I class as the bible of Italian grapes, Native Wine Grapes of Italy, and for far more detail than I have compiled here, if you are into varietal wines like I am, get a copy of his book, It took 13 years to research and then write, and its an amazing read.

By the way, Ian D'Agata says 377, the National Registry of Grape Varieties says there are 461 varieties authorised for cultivation in Italy.

For more information on varietals in Australia go to www.vinodiversity.com