After focusing on the best Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio under 20 euros, here we concentrate on Pinot Bianco, continuing to explore the world of Pinot in all its nuances, which today leads us to discover the lighter versions.
The origins of the Pinot Bianco grape variety have long been a subject of debate among ampelographers. The reason is simple. Its genealogy, as already emphasized, seems to trace back to Pinot Noir, of which, like Pinot Grigio, it is an intravarietal mutation.
Yet for decades the grape variety was confused with Chardonnay (with which it shares many ampelographic characteristics), so much so that until about fifty years ago, in our country, it was identified as Pinot-Chardonnay. But around the 1980s, all doubts were dispelled, and the grape variety entered fully into the production specifications of Italian DOC and DOCG wines.
Being a close relative of Pinot Noir, its origins are naturally to be found in Burgundy, where it is now rarely found. Being fond of cool, if not downright cold climates, it has found other preferred areas; staying in France, it is particularly cultivated in Alsace, but it is also found in some areas of Germany and Austria. However, it has now spread throughout the world, including Italy.
The Italian regions where Pinot Bianco thrives are mainly those of the North: Trentino, Alto Adige, Lombardy, Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Veneto.
The best value-for-money Pinot Bianco
If you want to discover Italian wines made from Pinot Bianco grapes, here is a list of labels reviewed in the Gambero Rosso's Berebene 2024 guide, in many cases have reached the finals during tastings for the Gambero Rosso's Vini d'Italia 2024 guide, including a Tre Bicchieri.
Alto Adige
The flagship of the historic cooperative Cantina Terlano is certainly the Pinot Bianco which, even with the 2022 vintage, is appreciated as one of the most interesting in the denomination. It intensely smells of ripe yellow fruit and flowers while in the mouth it is rich and remarkably dynamic. Buy an extra bottle and forget about it in the cellar, it will amaze you. Terlano and Andriano lie on two cones facing each other, almost mirroring each other, with the course of the Adige River and the wide valley floor dividing them. In 2008, the two oldest cooperatives in the region merged, and since then Rudi Kofler has been in charge of technical management, with the aim of enhancing not only the work of the members but also the peculiarities of the two areas. The Andriano vineyards are on calcareous soils, while across the river, it is the porphyry that characterizes the soil. An impressive range of wines that impresses with its qualitative and stylistic continuity.
The Brigl family's company, a real historical institution in the area, produces highly enjoyable wines that refer to the historical vines of Oltradige. Among others, we highlight the Pinot Bianco 2022, a true concentrate of Alto Adige. On the nose, the white fruit appears ripe and crunchy, juicy, surrounded by floral notes that bring finesse and lightness. The palate is dynamic, long, and incredibly drinkable. There have been more than 30 generations of Brigl who have succeeded in leading the historic company of Appiano, an adventure that began in 1309 and which, after 700 years, can rely on a very extensive vineyard platform, 50 hectares of property to which precious collaborations with winemakers, especially from the Renon and Termeno areas, must be added. Three real gem vineyards shine, the Haselhof estate in Colterenzio, the Rielerhof on the first foothills of the Renon, and finally the Windegg in the surroundings of Caldaro.
Pinot Bianco is the wine that historically identifies the Atesino territory, the chalice that is never missing from the producers' proposals and on the tables of the region's restaurants. The company in Via Sarentino offers this version of thickness, the Carnol 2022. The result of hillside vineyards that develop near the capital, it matures entirely in steel before giving its scents of white fruit and flowers. In the mouth, it strikes for its harmony and length. The history of the Rottensteiner company began in the post-war period thanks to the will of Hans, but the family's relationship with viticulture and the wines of the territory has much deeper roots. At the helm for over twenty years are Hannes and his wife Judith, who follow all production phases from the countryside to the bottle, and alongside them, other family members are always ready to lend their support. Production can rely on four owned farms and the precious collaboration of over 50 winemakers who supply grapes to the cellar.
Florian Brigl runs the family business in the Settequerce area, on the outskirts of the capital, hilly vineyards where conifers and palm trees coexist and underline the alpine and at the same time Mediterranean character of the territory. The Pinot Bianco Eich 2022 comes from vineyards at 300 meters above sea level on porphyritic and calcareous soil, intensely smelling of white fruit with a marked exotic and vegetable vein that refreshes its profile. The palate is dry, juicy, and very pleasant to drink. Florian Brigl's company develops between the Settequerce area, a small village enclosed between Bolzano and Terlano, and that of Appiano, allowing the distribution of the vines in the most suitable areas. If around the cellar the climate is warm and perfect for the cultivation of red berry grapes, in the Oltradige area, it is the white berries that benefit from the highest altitude and the cool currents coming down from the Mendola. In the cellar, exaggerated concentrations are not sought, but the right balance between richness and finesse.
Cantina Merano, a cooperative in Marlengo, mainly operates in the Burgraviato area, the hilly viticultural complex that expands around Merano. Among the numerous grape varieties cultivated, Pinot Bianco plays a leading role, and the company interprets it in multiple versions. The Graf 2022 is excellent, a wine that on the nose offers intense suggestions of fresh fruit and flowers that we find again in a dry, juicy palate of great pleasantness. The viticultural area that occupies the northwestern area of the province of Bolzano represents the viticultural basin of the Cantina di Merano, one of the most fragmented cooperatives, with almost 400 members cultivating 265 hectares of vineyards. The gentle hills surrounding the town are characterized by a mild climate, while the Val Venosta sees vineyards that extend much higher, on often arid soils that enjoy great temperature variations between day and night. Stefan Kapfinger leads the technical staff that perfectly interprets these two very different territories.
The small company of the Sölva family leads one of the most interesting realities of Oltradige, with wines that add a strong territorial character to the varietal expression. Try their Pinot Bianco Hos, a wine that is not immediately indulgent, but you have to dig around the sulfurous notes to extract a precious and fragrant fruit, refreshed by floral notes that give lightness and finesse. The sip is dry, refined, and perfect to accompany a sea bass in salt. The company covers 7 hectares along the hills surrounding Lake Caldaro on different plots. If for the varieties that require more warmth, such as Bordeaux or Lagrein, the zones of Prutznai and Lavason are used, the Schiava reigns supreme at Barleit and the white berry varieties are found in the highest vineyards of Vial and Kardatsch. A real viticultural puzzle that, within a few kilometers, offers suggestions and possibilities for a reliable and high-quality production.
The Schulthaus Pinot Bianco is the emblem of a high-quality wine, contained price, and easy availability. From the aromas, the finesse of this glass stands out, outlined by a crunchy and juicy white fruit that finds freshness in the floral notes. In the mouth, it is sapid, agile, and of captivating drinkability. A classy aperitif, it is perfect for accompanying raw scampi. Born from the will of 27 winemakers at the beginning of the last century, today the large cooperative of San Michele Appiano can count on the participation of 330 families who lovingly care for a vineyard that extends for almost 400 hectares. Over the years, viticulture has become increasingly specialized, and today each grape variety is cultivated in its place of election, to provide grapes that in the cellar, under the guidance of Hans Terzer, are transformed into a wide range of labels where the simplest and most immediate wines echo expressions of a close connection with the territory.
Friuli Venezia Giulia
The Pinot Bianco 2022 of Le Monde, that of the last vintage, confirms itself as a top-of-the-range wine and regains the Tre Bicchieri, displaying the elegance and fragrance it has always shown. The Le Monde locality, located between the banks of the Livenza and Meduna rivers, on the border with Veneto, is considered a true cru. Founded in 1970, Le Monde was taken over by Alex Maccan in 2008; as a dynamic entrepreneur, he projected the company to the top of regional excellence. Recently, he has been the protagonist of another enterprise, purchasing the La Ponca company in the Gorizia Collio and reorganizing its production system.
The Pinot Bianco 2022 by Alessio Komjanc confirms itself as a top-class wine in its category and always ranks at the top. Even this year we found it in the finals. Alessio Komjanc, in 1973, when he founded the company, declared that his goal was to produce wines and oil of the highest quality. An objective that he pursued for decades and that materialized in 2000, when all four male children (Beniamin, Roberto, Patrik, and Ivan) definitively settled in the company, managing to optimize the entire production chain. With the help of precious cellar consultancy, the quality of the wines has improved exponentially, and now the Komjanc brand is among those that best interpret the potential of Collio.
Gianni Sgubin's proposed range is all of good quality. We particularly appreciated the Collio Pinot Bianco 2022, of great intensity and fragrance. The aromas range from anise to white flowers, with beautiful notes of apple and lemon. The palate is harmonious, of remarkable freshness and gustatory depth, with well-integrated acidity and an elegant balsamic and floral finish. In the early 1960s, Ferruccio Sgubin gave a new direction to his business and decided to specialize in vine cultivation. Even today he collaborates actively, although for many years now the company has been run by his son Gianni. Management is purely family-oriented, also dedicated to catering, and now the new generation is ready to take over to ensure continuity. Taking advantage of the consultancy of qualified technicians, in recent years, the quality level of the wines has risen remarkably.
Andrea Drius's climb towards excellence continues. The wines are increasingly convincing, and the Pinot Bianco 2021 is a wine not to be missed. It offers itself very clearly in the tones of orange zest, pastry cream, and hazelnut. The palate is fleshy, sapid, of remarkable gustatory length, for an exciting and incisive finish. It will age gracefully.
Roberto Scubla's Pinot Bianco 2022 stands out for a symphony of floral and fruity notes that give rise to a captivating and complex taste. On the palate, it is creamy and progressive, with a long balsamic finish. By choice of life, Roberto Scubla bought a few hectares of vineyard attached to a rustic house on the slopes of Rocca Bernarda in 1991. Today that rustic house is a building of valuable architectural value, surrounded by a bucolic atmosphere. The cellar has been integrated by an underground barrel room, which enjoys a cool and constant temperature. The particular conformation of the surrounding hills facilitates the entry of the bora wind, which, in addition to guaranteeing constant ventilation, allows for the natural withering of the Verduzzo grapes laid out on grates outdoors under a canopy.
Galliussi's Pinot Bianco Il Chiaro 2021 stands out for its cleanliness, freshness, and fragrance, intense in its tones of lemon and green tea, with a taut, vibrant but at the same time fleshy mouth. Also excellent this year is the performance of this beautiful company of very recent constitution located on the hills of Spessa di Cividale, in the Bosco Romagno area. Strongly desired and realized by Ivo Galliussi as a materialization of the dream of returning to the origins and memories of youth.
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