White Grapes

Malagousia is an ancient, white-skinned Greek grape that was saved from extinction by Vangelis Gerovassiliou, who brought it back from obscurity in the 1970s. The grape produces aromatic dry wines, which are usually of excellent quality. ... READ MORE

Moschofilero is a Greek grape that hails from Peloponnese. It is an aromatic and late-ripening variety that delivers high yields, but it is sometimes sensitive and finicky to grow. Despite its common presence, Moschofilero was only popula... READ MORE

Gewurztraminer is a pink-skinned grape that produces some of the most aromatic and complex white wines in the world. The exact origin of Gewurztraminer is hard to trace, but the grape is related to Traminer family that is cultivated acros... READ MORE

Roditis is a pink-skinned variety from Greece that is cultivated throughout the mainland. It is the second most planted grape in Greece, used both in varietals and blends. The grape was mostly used for bland, inexpensive bulk wines, but t... READ MORE

Riesling most likely hails from the Rhine region of Germany, but it has shown great success in other European wine regions, primary Austria and Alsace, as well as the United States and Australia. However, the best expressions of the grape... READ MORE

Pinot Gris, also known as Pinot Grigio and Grauburgunder, is a white grape variety whose origins are believed to be in Burgundy, but the grape has shown amazing potential in Alsace—the region with which it is mostly associated nowad... READ MORE

Viognier is a grape variety with unclear origins that found its home in the northern Rhône, where it has been cultivated for centuries. It is best known as the single varietal used in the Condrieu appellation, though it is also used... READ MORE

Fetească Regală is a native Romanian white grape variety that first appeared in the 1920s in Transylvania. For a long time, it was believed that Regală was a hybrid between Koverszolo (Grasa de Cotnari) and Fetească Alba, but recent findi... READ MORE

Irsai Olivér is a Hungarian white grape created in 1930 by Pál Kocsis as a cross between Pozsonyi and Pearl of Csaba. The grape is used in varietals and blends and is cultivated in several Hungarian wine regions. It is best ... READ MORE

Vilana is a white grape variety native to Crete that produces fresh and light white wines. It is a very productive and resistant grape that was mainly used as a workhorse variety that often created unimpressive bland wines. However, it wa... READ MORE

This Greek white grape variety is indigenous to the island of Santorini, but it can also be found on other Aegean island such as Paros. The soil of the island, which is rich in volcanic ash, seems to enable the grapes to retain their acidity regar... READ MORE

Kisi is a native Georgian variety that is mainly associated with Kakheti. Like many Georgian grapes, this white variety is also used for classic dry styles and traditional Georgian amber wines made in large clay vessels (qvevri).... READ MORE

Although Sauvignon Blanc is a native French grape—best known for its expressions in Sauternes, Loire Valley, and Bordeaux—it also found its home in New Zealand, where it became the most prominent and the most distinctive varie... READ MORE

Falanghina is an old Italian white grape variety that is mostly associated and cultivated in Campania. For a very long time, it was not known that the name was used for two distinct sub-varieties: Falanghina Beneventana and the b... READ MORE

Fetească Alba (White Maiden) is a Romanian white grape variety that is closely related to Fetească Regală variety and the red-skinned Fetească Neagră. It is cultivated in various Romanian regions as well as Moldova and H... READ MORE

Mtsvane Kakhuri, or simply Mtsvane, is an aromatic white grape native to Georgia. The grape produces alcoholic and tannic white wines. It is mainly found in Kakheti, where it is used in varietals and blends and several regional appellatio... READ MORE

Chenin Blanc is a grape variety grown in the Loire valley of France, from where it spread to South Africa and became popular as Steen. Due to its versatility, it comes in a few varieties, such as bubbly, dry, or sweet. The dry version of ... READ MORE

Friulano is an Italian name for Sauvignonasse variety that originated in southwest France, where it was never widely cultivated. The grape is rarely seen outside Italy and is considered as one of the signature grapes in Friuli-Venezia Gi... READ MORE

Robola is a white-skinned Greek grape that is grown in central Greece and the Ionian islands, but it is mainly associated with Cephalonia (Kefalonia), which is the home of the only Robola appellation. In the past, Robola was often mistake... READ MORE

Chardonnay is a popular and widely cultivated white grape variety that is used to produce white wine. Originating from the Burgundy region of France, Chardonnay is now grown in wine regions around the world, including the United States, Australia,... READ MORE

Arguably the most popular white grape in Georgia and possibly one of the oldest grapes in the world, Rkatsiteli is an incredibly versatile variety used in the production of brandy and dry, sparkling, fortified, and dessert wines. Although... READ MORE

Chinuri is a native Georgian grape that originated in Kartli, but it is also cultivated in Kakheti. This late-ripening grape produces high yields, and it is known for its ability to achieve crisp acidity and moderate sugar. It is used in ... READ MORE

Sauvignon Blanc is a widely cultivated white grape variety known for producing crisp, aromatic, and refreshing wines. Originating from the Bordeaux region of France, Sauvignon Blanc is now grown in many wine regions worldwide, including New Zealan... READ MORE

Mostly cultivated in Campania, Fiano is an old Italian variety that has seen a significant revival since the 1980s. This low-yielding, early-ripening grape is praised for its ability to produce crisp and aromatic wines with a lot... READ MORE

Sémillon is a dry white wine made from Sémillon grapes. Although native to Bordeaux, the grapes are widely grown in Australia in the Hunter Valley, and to a lesser extent in South Africa, Chile, California, Canada, and New Z... READ MORE

Hárslevelű is a native Hungarian grape that is predominantly cultivated in Tokaj. The grape is a cross, with Furmint as one of its parents. Despite being regularly overshadowed by Furmint, this aromatic grape has been growing in po... READ MORE

Vidiano is a native white grape from Crete that is mostly cultivated around Rethymnon. The grape is not widely known, but it has seen an upsurge in popularity in the last decade. It is usually used in varietal examples that are typically ... READ MORE

Kidonitsa is a rare and ancient Greek grape that was once nearly extinct. It was saved by several producers from the Peloponnese region who realized that the grape has an excellent potential to produce aromatic white wines with a unique c... READ MORE

Pinot Gris, also known as Pinot Grigio in Italy, is a white wine grape variety that is believed to be a mutation of the Pinot Noir grape. It is known for producing wines that can vary widely in style depending on the region and winemaking techniqu... READ MORE

Verdicchio is an Italian grape variety that is mostly associated with Marche. It is a versatile grape used in varietals and blends, and it can produce light and refreshing wines as well as more complex examples. Verdicchio wines are usual... READ MORE

Cserszegi Fűszeres is a white Hungarian grape that produces light and refreshing white wines. The grape is a hybrid between Savagnin Rose and Irsai Olivér, which is also a white Hungarian cross introduced in 1930. Cserszegi Fűszeres was cre... READ MORE

Savatiano is a white grape native to Greece, where it is used in varietal and blends. It was mostly used for unimpressive and bland table wines and the somewhat infamous Greek retsina—wine flavored with pine tree resin. Savatiano is... READ MORE

Juhfark is one of the old Hungarian white varieties. It was once a common and popular grape, but it is now primarily cultivated in Somló, the smallest Hungarian wine region located north of Lake Balaton, known for its volcanic basa... READ MORE

Moravian muscat is a Czech grape variety that was created by crossing Muscat Ottonel and the rare Prachtraube grape. Although the grape is also suitable for the production of sweet and sparkling wines, it is mostly used as a blending grape and in ... READ MORE

Arneis is a native grape from Piedmont that gives the best results in Roero—where it is used in the production of the famed Roero Arneis DOCG. Its exact origin is not known, but it is assumed that it has been cultivated in the area ... READ MORE

Vermentino is a white grape variety predominantly grown in several Mediterranean wine regions, especially in Northern Italy and Sardinia. It is particularly known for producing crisp, aromatic white wines. Vermentino wines are known for their vibr... READ MORE

Inzolia is an Italian grape variety mainly associated with Sicily, though small amounts are also found in Tuscany (Ansonica Bianca). The grape was best known for its use in Marsala wine, but it is now often blended with the local Catarrat... READ MORE

Tsolikouri is a native white grape widely planted in western Georgia. This versatile, late-ripening variety is used in the production of dry white wines and semi-sweet dessert styles from the Tvishi appellation. It also shows some potenti... READ MORE

Koshu is a white grape variety native to Japan, primarily grown in the Yamanashi Prefecture, which is known as the heart of Japanese viticulture. This grape has a long history in Japan, dating back over a thousand years, and is well-suited to the ... READ MORE

Gouveio is a white grape variety native to Portugal, primarily cultivated in the Douro Valley and Alentejo regions. Known for producing fresh, lively wines, Gouveio features bright acidity and a medium to full body, often with citrus aromas comple... READ MORE

Debina is a white grape considered native to Epirus, Greece. The grape is best known for its high acidity. It is mostly used in the production of dry white wines and sparkling styles in Zítsa region. Although it does not classify a... READ MORE

The Forastera grape is a white grape variety primarily grown in Italy, particularly in the Campania region and on the island of Ischia. Believed to have been introduced from Spain or Greece, its name "Forastera" indicates its foreign origin, meani... READ MORE