35 famous wines and their underdog alternatives: what each one is, where it comes from, and why it answers the famous name. Every grape links to its profile; every wine to the full guide.
Cabernet Sauvignon — a single variety.
- Alicante Bouschet (Alentejo, Portugal) the inky oneA teinturier with red flesh, not just red skin — among the darkest, most saturated reds there is.
- Touriga Nacional (Douro & Dão, Portugal) the structured onePortugal's noble grape: dense, floral, tannic and built to age, with a violet lift Cabernet can't match.
- Baga (Bairrada, Portugal) the age-worthy oneHigh tannin, high acid, savory — the Nebbiolo of Portugal, at a fraction of the price of the growths it outlasts.
- Pignolo (Friuli, Italy) the friuli colli orientali oneA dense, deeply tannic Friulian red built for the cellar, the northern-Italian answer to a serious Cabernet.
- Vranec (Tikveš, North Macedonia) the tikveš oneNorth Macedonia's inky, full-bodied red, built on the weight and black fruit Cabernet drinkers come for.
- Tannat (Canelones, Uruguay) the weightier oneA darker, more muscular Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Lagrein (Alto Adige, Italy) the alpine oneA cooler, more mineral cousin of Syrah, dark and structured, but with an Alpine tension Cabernet rarely shows.
100% Nebbiolo.
- Xinomavro (Naoussa, Greece) the Greek BaroloTar and dried roses over fierce tannin and acid — the closest thing to Nebbiolo grown anywhere else.
- Baga (Bairrada, Portugal) the Portuguese BaroloFirm and savory young, profound with age — Portugal's long-game answer to Nebbiolo.
- Aglianico (Taurasi & Vulture, Italy) the Barolo of the SouthVolcanic southern-Italian red: black fruit, leather and tannin that rewards patience.
- Ramisco (Colares, Portugal) the colares oneA leaner, salt-washed Barolo grown on a beach.
Nebbiolo — a single variety, also behind Barolo and Barbaresco.
- Xinomavro (Naoussa, Greece) the closest thing there isTar, roses and grip — Nebbiolo's ghost, grown in northern Greece.
- Aglianico (Taurasi & Vulture, Italy) the structured Italian cousinDark, volcanic and age-worthy — southern Italy's serious, savory red.
- Sagrantino (Montefalco, Italy) for the tannin chaserUmbria's most tannic grape — even more grip than Nebbiolo, and built to last.
- Baga (Bairrada, Portugal) the long-game bottleHigh acid, high tannin, savory — a cellar wine at an underdog price.
Pinot Noir — a single variety (red Burgundy).
- Mencía (Bierzo, Spain) the fragrant oneRaspberry, pomegranate and graphite — mineral and perfumed, a Cru Beaujolais cousin.
- Schiava (Vernatsch) (Alto Adige, Italy) the feather-light onePale, low-tannin alpine red — strawberry and violet, best with a slight chill.
- Trousseau / Bastardo (Jura, France) the cult oneJura's pale, savory, wild-edged red — cranberry and white pepper, quietly obsessed over.
- Nerello Mascalese (Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy) the elegant oneHigh-altitude Etna red: red cherry, orange peel and ash — Burgundian poise from a volcano.
- Areni & indigenous Armenian blends (Aragatsotn, Armenia) the armenia oneAn old-world, earthy Pinot Noir.
- Cabernet Pfeffer (California, United States) the peppery oneA peppery, lightly chilled Syrah with the weight and translucence of Pinot Noir.
- Counoise (Rhône, France) the peppery oneA light, high-acid red with Pinot Noir's freshness and a crack of black pepper on top.
- Frappato (Vittoria, Sicily, Italy) the one you chillDrinks like a chilled, wild-strawberry Pinot Noir with a Sicilian accent.
- Freisa (Piedmont, Italy) the piedmont oneA firmer, wilder Pinot Noir.
- Gaglioppo (Calabria, Italy) the savory onePinot Noir with a savory, herbal streak; sometimes a lighter Nebbiolo.
- Grignolino (Monferrato, Piedmont, Italy) the monferrato onePinot Noir with a firmer handshake.
- Grolleau (Loire, France) the one you chillA light, chillable Loire red in the orbit of a cool-climate Pinot Noir or a Loire Gamay.
- Kadarka (Szekszárd, Hungary) the peppery onePinot Noir with a peppery, paprika edge.
- Listán Negro (Canary Islands, Spain) the higher-acid oneA smoky, high-acid Pinot Noir grown on the side of a volcano.
- Négrette (Fronton, France) the aromatic oneAromatic, low-tannin light red like Pinot Noir, but more floral.
- País (Maule, Chile) the maule oneA rustic, old-vine Pinot Noir or Gamay.
- Pelaverga (Verduno, Piedmont, Italy) the peppery oneA lighter, peppery Pinot Noir you serve with a slight chill.
- Piedirosso (Campania, Italy) the savory oneLight, savory, mineral Pinot Noir with a volcanic edge.
- Pineau d'Aunis (Loire, France) the peppery oneA peppery, featherweight Loire red you chill down and drink like Pinot Noir.
- Poulsard (Jura, France) the jura oneA paler, wilder Pinot Noir.
- Prieto Picudo (León, Spain) the león (tierra de león) oneA firmer, wilder Pinot Noir with more grip.
- Rossese (Dolceacqua, Liguria, Italy) the dolceacqua onePinot Noir with a Mediterranean tan and a handful of wild herbs.
- Ruchè (Monferrato, Piedmont, Italy) the aromatic oneA perfumed, light-bodied Piedmont red, Pinot Noir's aromatic cousin, floral and soft-tannined.
- Rufete (Sierra de Salamanca, Spain) the higher-acid oneA high-altitude Spanish cousin of village Pinot Noir, pale, perfumed, and built on acidity rather than weight.
- Sankt Laurent (Thermenregion, Austria) the savory oneA darker, more savory Pinot Noir.
- Sumoll (Penedès, Spain) the one you chillA pale, high-acid light red you should chill, where a village Pinot Noir or a serious Gamay lives.
- Trepat (Conca de Barberà, Spain) the conca de barberà onePinot Noir.
- Kallmet, Shesh & Vlosh (Lezhë & the coast, Albania) the higher-acid oneA perfumed, high-acid Carpathian red, Kadarka by another name.
- Stanushina (Tikveš, North Macedonia) the tikveš oneA pale, low-tannin Macedonian red that growers refused to pull, and chill lightly.
Merlot — a single variety.
- Agiorgitiko (Nemea, Greece) the Greek charmerSoft tannin, ripe red fruit, gentle spice — Greece's most-planted red and its friendliest.
- Mencía (Bierzo, Spain) the fragrant oneRaspberry and graphite, medium-bodied and mineral — plush, but with a savory edge.
- Bonarda (Mendoza, Argentina) the mendoza oneSoft, plush, dark-fruited Merlot for less.
- Carménère (Colchagua Valley, Chile) the savory oneA plush Merlot with a savory, herbal edge.
- Castelão (Península de Setúbal, Portugal) the savory oneAn easygoing, earthy Merlot with a savory Portuguese streak.
Malbec — a single variety (Côt in France).
- Alicante Bouschet (Alentejo, Portugal) the inky oneRed-fleshed teinturier — even darker and more saturated than Malbec, faintly savory underneath.
- Touriga Nacional (Douro & Dão, Portugal) the structured oneDense and floral with real grip — the same dark fruit, more backbone and a violet perfume.
- Teroldego (Trentino, Italy) the juicy oneAlpine Italian red: deep color, dark-berry fruit and low grip — the easy one to love.
- Bobal (Utiel-Requena, Spain) the higher-acid oneMalbec with the volume turned down and the acidity turned up.
- Saperavi (Kakheti, Georgia) the savory oneMalbec with a wild, savory edge.
Syrah — a single variety (Shiraz in Australia).
- Alicante Bouschet (Alentejo, Portugal) the inky oneMaximum color and depth — a black-fruited, full-bodied red with a savory undertow.
- Touriga Nacional (Douro & Dão, Portugal) the peppery, perfumed oneFloral and structured with a peppery lift that echoes northern-Rhône Syrah.
- Aglianico (Taurasi & Vulture, Italy) the savory, structured oneLeather, tobacco and firm tannin — dark, serious and volcanic.
- Sagrantino (Montefalco, Italy) the brooding heavyweightThe most tannic grape Italy grows — inky, powerful and built for the long haul.
- Cesanese (Lazio, Italy) the peppery oneA lighter, softer Syrah with the pepper turned up.
- Duras (Gaillac, France) the peppery onePeppery, structured Syrah from Southwest France.
- Fer Servadou (Marcillac, France) the peppery oneA leaner, more savory Syrah with an iron edge and a peppery snap.
- Limnio (Limnos, Greece) the savory oneA savory, herb-brushed Syrah with less weight and more lift.
- Magliocco (Calabria, Italy) the peppery oneA savory, peppery Syrah with southern Italian grip.
- Mavrodaphne (Patras, Greece) the savory oneA savory, sun-baked stand-in for Syrah when dry; a Port alternative when sweet.
- Mondeuse (Savoie, France) the higher-acid oneA cool-climate Syrah with the volume down and the acid up.
- Schioppettino (Friuli, Italy) the peppery oneA leaner, higher-acid northern-Rhone Syrah with the volume turned down and the pepper turned up.
- Trincadeira (Alentejo, Portugal) the peppery oneSavory, peppery Syrah.
- Vinhão (Vinho Verde, Portugal) the peppery oneSyrah's ink and pepper with the acid snap of a wine half its color, served cold.
- Blaufränkisch (Burgenland, Austria) the peppery oneA savory, high-acid, peppery red between Syrah and Cabernet Franc, structured but built for the table.
- Lagrein (Alto Adige, Italy) the alpine oneA cooler, more mineral cousin of Syrah, dark and structured, but with an Alpine tension Cabernet rarely shows.
Zinfandel — a single variety, genetically identical to Italy's Primitivo.
- Alicante Bouschet (Alentejo, Portugal) the inky oneDeep, dark and saturated — the same bold fruit with a savory, structured core.
- Pinotage (Stellenbosch, South Africa) the smoky oneSouth Africa's own: brambly dark fruit with a woodsmoke-and-mocha edge.
- Touriga Nacional (Douro & Dão, Portugal) the structured oneThe same dark-fruited punch, dressed in floral perfume and firmer tannin.
- Perricone (Sicily, Italy) the savory oneA leaner, more savory Zinfandel with the jam turned down and the grip turned up.
- Plavac Mali (Dalmatia, Croatia) the dalmatia oneA ripe, high-alcohol Zinfandel or Primitivo.
- Carignan (Languedoc, France) the savory oneOld-vine Zinfandel with more acid and a savory, herbal edge.
Mostly Tempranillo, blended with Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo.
- Agiorgitiko (Nemea, Greece) the oak-friendly oneSoft tannin and ripe red fruit that take to oak the way Rioja does — Greece's most approachable red.
- Mencía (Bierzo, Spain) the fragrant oneRaspberry, pomegranate and graphite — a mineral, perfumed red from Bierzo, next door in spirit.
- Touriga Nacional (Douro & Dão, Portugal) the structured oneDense, floral and ageworthy — the Iberian backbone Rioja lovers recognize, with a violet lift.
Mostly Sangiovese, often with a little Canaiolo or Colorino.
- Xinomavro (Naoussa, Greece) the savory oneHigh acid, dried tomato, olive and herb — Sangiovese's Greek soulmate at the dinner table.
- Nerello Mascalese (Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy) the elegant oneRed cherry and orange peel with Etna's mineral lift — bright, high-acid and food-friendly.
- Agiorgitiko (Nemea, Greece) the softer oneThe same red-cherry core, rounder and gentler — an easy step sideways from a weeknight Chianti.
A blend — Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, plus Petit Verdot and Malbec.
- Alicante Bouschet (Alentejo, Portugal) the inky oneRed-fleshed and saturated — dark, full-bodied and savory, for the depth a Left Bank blend gives.
- Touriga Nacional (Douro & Dão, Portugal) the structured oneDense, floral and tannic, built to age — the noble structure Bordeaux drinkers prize.
- Baga (Bairrada, Portugal) the ageworthy oneHigh tannin, high acid and savory — a cellar red at an underdog price.
Grenache, usually blended with Syrah and Mourvèdre — the Rhône's 'GSM'.
- Agiorgitiko (Nemea, Greece) the red-fruit oneRipe strawberry and plum with gentle spice — the warm, generous heart of a Rhône blend.
- Teroldego (Trentino, Italy) the juicy oneDeep-colored, dark-berried and low in grip — the easy, fruit-forward pour.
- Mencía (Bierzo, Spain) the peppery oneRaspberry and graphite with a savory, peppery edge — medium-bodied and mineral.
- Cannonau (Sardinia, Italy) the sardinia oneGrenache with a Sardinian accent: juicy red fruit, dried herbs, and a mineral grip.
100% Gamay.
- Schiava (Vernatsch) (Alto Adige, Italy) the feather-light onePale and low-tannin — strawberry and violet, best with a slight chill, just like cru Beaujolais.
- Trousseau / Bastardo (Jura, France) the savory oneJura's pale, wild-edged red — cranberry and white pepper over featherweight tannin.
- Nerello Mascalese (Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy) the elegant oneLight on its feet but serious — red cherry, orange peel and ash from Etna's slopes.
- Parraleta, Moristel & Alcañón (Somontano, Spain) the higher-acid oneA high-acid Mediterranean red, a lighter Mencía or a Cru Beaujolais.
- Cinsault (Languedoc, France) the one you chillA light, perfumed red you can chill on a warm evening.
Cabernet Franc — a single variety (Chinon and Bourgueil in the Loire).
- Mencía (Bierzo, Spain) the graphite oneRaspberry and pomegranate over a graphite, bay-leaf savor — the herbal edge Cabernet Franc lovers chase.
- Agiorgitiko (Nemea, Greece) the soft oneRipe red fruit and gentle spice, medium-bodied and smooth — the approachable side of Franc.
- Teroldego (Trentino, Italy) the fruit-forward oneDeep color and dark-berry fruit with low grip — juicier, but the same easy weight.
- Blaufränkisch (Burgenland, Austria) the higher-acid oneA savory, high-acid, peppery red between Syrah and Cabernet Franc, structured but built for the table.
Petite Sirah — a single variety, also called Durif.
- Alicante Bouschet (Alentejo, Portugal) the inky oneA red-fleshed teinturier — as dark and saturated as wine gets, with a savory undertow.
- Sagrantino (Montefalco, Italy) the tannic oneUmbria's most tannic grape: blackberry, tar and grip built for the long haul.
- Touriga Nacional (Douro & Dão, Portugal) the structured oneDense and floral with firm tannin — power dressed in violet perfume.
Barbera — a single variety (Piedmont).
- Mencía (Bierzo, Spain) the fragrant oneRaspberry and graphite, medium-bodied and mineral, with the same juicy acidity.
- Agiorgitiko (Nemea, Greece) the easygoing oneSoft tannin and ripe red fruit — a friendly, food-loving pour.
- Nerello Mascalese (Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy) the high-acid oneRed cherry and orange peel with real lift — bright and savory.
- Croatina, Vespolina & Uva Rara (Oltrepò Pavese, Italy) the peppery oneA peppery, rustic cross of Barbera and Gamay.
- Refosco (Friuli, Italy) the savory oneA dark, savory, high-acid red built for the table.
Montepulciano — a single variety (not the Tuscan town of the same name).
- Teroldego (Trentino, Italy) the juicy oneDeep color and dark-berry fruit with low grip — the easy one to love.
- Agiorgitiko (Nemea, Greece) the smooth oneRipe red fruit and gentle spice, soft and generous.
- Pinotage (Stellenbosch, South Africa) the smoky oneBrambly dark fruit with a woodsmoke edge — a touch more character.
Carménère — a single variety, a lost Bordeaux grape now at home in Chile.
- Mencía (Bierzo, Spain) the herbal oneGraphite, bay leaf and red fruit — the savory, herbal streak Carménère is known for.
- Agiorgitiko (Nemea, Greece) the plush oneRipe, soft and gently spiced — the easygoing dark-fruit side.
- Touriga Nacional (Douro & Dão, Portugal) the structured oneMore backbone and floral lift, with the same dark-fruited depth.
Mourvèdre — a single variety (Monastrell in Spain, Mataró elsewhere).
- Alicante Bouschet (Alentejo, Portugal) the inky oneSaturated black fruit with a savory, meaty undertow — dark and dense.
- Aglianico (Taurasi & Vulture, Italy) the structured oneLeather, tobacco and firm tannin — volcanic and serious.
- Pinotage (Stellenbosch, South Africa) the smoky oneBrambly dark fruit with woodsmoke and mocha — rustic and warm.
Petit Verdot — usually a Bordeaux blending grape, bottled solo here.
- Alicante Bouschet (Alentejo, Portugal) the inky oneMaximum color and density — dark, full and savory.
- Touriga Nacional (Douro & Dão, Portugal) the perfumed oneFirm tannin under a violet-and-bergamot perfume — structure with lift.
- Sagrantino (Montefalco, Italy) the tannic oneBlackberry and tar over massive tannin, built to age.
Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara — dried before pressing (appassimento).
- Aglianico (Taurasi & Vulture, Italy) the structured oneDark, brooding and ageworthy — depth without raisined sweetness. None of these are dried like Amarone, so expect savory, not sweet.
- Sagrantino (Montefalco, Italy) the powerful oneUmbria's heavyweight: inky, tannic and long.
- Alicante Bouschet (Alentejo, Portugal) the dark oneSaturated black fruit and full body for the sheer richness.
Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara — the fresh, un-dried side of the Amarone blend.
- Schiava (Vernatsch) (Alto Adige, Italy) the feather-light onePale and low-tannin — strawberry and violet, lovely with a chill.
- Teroldego (Trentino, Italy) the juicy oneA little more color and fruit, still soft and easy.
- Nerello Mascalese (Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy) the elegant oneRed cherry and orange peel with a mineral lift.
Nero d'Avola — a single variety (Sicily).
- Alicante Bouschet (Alentejo, Portugal) the inky oneDeeper and darker, saturated and savory.
- Teroldego (Trentino, Italy) the juicy oneDark-berry fruit, low grip, easy warmth.
- Pinotage (Stellenbosch, South Africa) the smoky oneBrambly fruit with a woodsmoke edge.
Dolcetto — a single variety (Piedmont).
- Schiava (Vernatsch) (Alto Adige, Italy) the light onePale, gentle and low-tannin — an easy sipper.
- Teroldego (Trentino, Italy) the dark-fruited oneDeeper color and berry fruit, still soft.
- Agiorgitiko (Nemea, Greece) the smooth oneRipe red fruit and gentle spice, friendly and round.
Carignan — a single variety (Cariñena/Mazuelo in Spain, Carignano in Italy).
- Mencía (Bierzo, Spain) the mineral oneRaspberry and graphite with a savory, mineral edge.
- Agiorgitiko (Nemea, Greece) the ripe oneSofter and rounder, ripe red fruit and spice.
- Nerello Mascalese (Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy) the high-acid oneRed cherry and lift, bright and food-friendly.
Cinsault — a single variety, and a common blending grape across southern France.
- Schiava (Vernatsch) (Alto Adige, Italy) the feather-light oneStrawberry and violet, pale and gentle — chill it.
- Trousseau / Bastardo (Jura, France) the savory oneCranberry and white pepper over featherweight tannin.
- Nerello Mascalese (Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy) the elegant oneLight on its feet, red cherry and ash.
Tannat — a single variety (Madiran in France, the flagship red of Uruguay).
- Sagrantino (Montefalco, Italy) the tannic oneEven Italy's most tannic grape meets its match here — blackberry, tar and grip.
- Baga (Bairrada, Portugal) the ageworthy oneHigh acid and firm tannin, savory and long.
- Alicante Bouschet (Alentejo, Portugal) the dark oneSaturated black fruit for sheer density.
Blaufränkisch — a single variety (Lemberger in Germany, Kékfrankos in Hungary).
- Mencía (Bierzo, Spain) the peppery oneRaspberry and graphite with a savory, peppery snap.
- Nerello Mascalese (Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy) the high-acid oneRed cherry and orange peel, bright and mineral.
- Xinomavro (Naoussa, Greece) the savory oneDried tomato, olive and herb over firm acid — a step up in grip.
A fortified blend of Douro grapes — Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca and more.
- Touriga Nacional (Douro & Dão, Portugal) the source oneThe backbone of Port, made dry: dense, floral and structured.
- Baga (Bairrada, Portugal) the savory oneHigh tannin and acid, savory and ageworthy.
- Alicante Bouschet (Alentejo, Portugal) the inky oneSaturated black fruit and full body. Note: these are dry reds, not sweet fortified wine — the grapes, not the style.
- Sercial (Madeira, Portugal) the madeira oneMadeira's bone-dry opposite, electric and citrusy, with acidity that can carry it a century.
Chardonnay — a single variety (white Burgundy, Chablis).
- Godello (Valdeorras, Spain) the white-Burgundy onePear, quince and wet stone with a textural weight that stands in for unoaked Chardonnay.
- Fiano the rich, ancient oneAn ancient southern-Italian white — honeyed, nutty and full, with real staying power.
- Albillo Mayor (Ribera del Duero, Spain) the rounder oneA textural Spanish white with orchard fruit and a savory, structured core.
- Antão Vaz (Alentejo, Portugal) the weightier oneA warm, ripe, textural white with weight and grip, the fuller end of the white spectrum, closer to a barrel-touched Chardonnay than a lean coastal one.
- Bical (Bairrada, Portugal) the bairrada oneA lees-aged Chablis with a Portuguese accent.
- Encruzado (Dão, Portugal) the dão oneAn oaked white Burgundy, without the Burgundy price.
- Greco (Campania, Italy) the saltier oneA leaner, saltier white Burgundy with a phenolic bite.
- Nascetta (Langhe, Piedmont, Italy) the weightier oneAn unoaked white with the weight of white Burgundy and the salt of a coastal Greek white.
- Pošip (Korčula, Croatia) the korčula oneA textural Chardonnay or a Mediterranean white.
- Rotgipfler (Thermenregion, Austria) the weightier oneA full-bodied unoaked white with the weight of Chardonnay and the spice of Grüner Veltliner.
- Timorasso (Colli Tortonesi, Italy) the saltier oneA white Burgundy with more grip and a saltier finish.
- Treixadura (Ribeiro, Spain) the ribeiro oneAn unoaked white Burgundy with more grip.
- Xarel·lo (Penedès, Spain) the penedès oneA textured, unoaked white Burgundy or a serious Chardonnay.
- Zierfandler (Thermenregion, Austria) the weightier oneA weighty, spiced Chardonnay with more nerve and a longer memory.
- Savatiano (Attica, Greece) the weightier oneA textural, faintly herbal dry white with more weight than zip.
Sauvignon Blanc — a single variety (Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé).
- Verdejo (Rueda, Spain) the herbal oneGrapefruit, lime and fennel with a bitter-almond twist — Spain's zesty answer to Sauvignon.
- Albillo Mayor (Ribera del Duero, Spain) the textured oneMore weight than a typical crisp white, with green apple, peach and fennel.
- Godello (Valdeorras, Spain) the mineral oneCitrus and wet stone — bright but textural, mineral rather than grassy.
- Assyrtiko (Santorini, Greece) the saltier oneA crisp, saline white with the cut of Sauvignon Blanc and the mineral spine of Chablis.
- Friulano (Friuli, Italy) the saltier oneOld-World Sauvignon Blanc with the green edge sanded off, softer, saltier, finished with a twist of bitter almond.
- Grillo (Sicily, Italy) the saltier oneDrinks like a rounder, saltier Sauvignon Blanc.
- Grüner Veltliner (Wachau, Austria) the peppery oneA crisp, peppery white with Sauvignon Blanc's zip and a stony spine that carries food better than most.
- Robola (Cephalonia, Greece) the cephalonia oneSauvignon Blanc traded its grassy edge for wet limestone and a squeeze of lemon.
- Verdelho (Madeira, Portugal) the weightier oneA dry white with Sauvignon Blanc's zip but riper tropical fruit and a fuller body.
- Vitovska (Carso, Italy) the saltier oneA leaner, saltier Sauvignon Blanc with the grass swapped for stone.
Pinot Grigio — a single variety (Pinot Gris in France).
- Elbling (Obermosel, Germany) the featherweight oneRome's forgotten German grape: green apple, chalk and saline — bone-dry and light as air.
- Verdejo (Rueda, Spain) the zesty oneMore aromatic than Pinot Grigio, with grapefruit and a herbal snap.
- Godello (Valdeorras, Spain) the one with bodyThe step up: the same easy drinkability, but with pear, quince and texture.
- Catarratto (Sicily, Italy) the savory oneA leaner, more savory Pinot Grigio with an actual citrus spine and a whisper of Mediterranean herb.
- Coda di Volpe (Campania, Italy) the campania oneA rounder, softer Pinot Grigio that trades bite for an almond finish.
- Falanghina (Campania, Italy) the campania oneA Pinot Grigio with more to say, brighter, with pear and a mineral edge.
- Passerina (Marche, Italy) the saltier oneCrisp, saline Pinot Grigio with more citrus zip.
- Pecorino (Abruzzo, Italy) the abruzzo oneA crisp Italian white with more grip and structure than Pinot Grigio.
- Roditis (Peloponnese, Greece) the peloponnese onePinot Grigio with more grip.
- Erbaluce (Caluso, Piedmont, Italy) the higher-acid oneCrisp, unoaked, high-acid white with mineral cut.
- Hondarrabi Zuri (Getaria, Basque Country, Spain) the saltier oneA crisp, low-alcohol white with a faint spritz and a lick of sea salt.
- Loureiro (Vinho Verde, Portugal) the aromatic oneA crisp, floral coastal white built for warm afternoons.
- Ribolla Gialla (Friuli, Italy) the higher-acid oneA lean, high-acid alpine white, citrus and pith when made clean, nutty and textured when made on the skins.
- Rkatsiteli (Kakheti, Georgia) the higher-acid oneCrisp, high-acid, food-friendly white; amber qvevri versions turn nutty and grippy.
- Verdicchio (Marche, Italy) the savory oneA crisp, textural white with a savory almond finish.
Riesling — a single variety.
- Elbling (Obermosel, Germany) the bone-dry oneGreen apple, chalk and saline — Germany's forgotten grape, electric and bone-dry. It won't give you Riesling's floral sweetness, but the racy acid is all there.
- Godello (Valdeorras, Spain) the textural oneCitrus and wet stone with real weight — the mineral side of Riesling, drier and rounder.
- Verdejo (Rueda, Spain) the aromatic oneGrapefruit, lime and fennel with a herbal lift — the closest aromatic snap among Spanish whites.
- Arinto (Bucelas, Portugal) the higher-acid oneA dry, high-acid Riesling built for the table and the cellar.
- Carricante (Etna, Sicily, Italy) the etna oneA bone-dry volcanic white with the nerve of dry Riesling and the salinity of Chablis.
- Furmint (Tokaj, Hungary) the tokaj oneA bone-dry, smoky Riesling.
- Juhfark (Somló, Hungary) the somló oneA fiercely mineral, smoke-streaked white with Riesling's nervy tension and a stony, almost salty grip.
Gewürztraminer — a single variety (Alsace, Alto Adige).
- Moschofilero the aromatic twinRose petal, orange blossom and citrus — the Gewürztraminer perfume, bone-dry and fresh. Easier to say, too.
- Fiano the textural oneHoneyed, nutty and full — for the weight of Gewürztraminer when you want body over florals.
- Hárslevelű (Tokaj, Hungary) the higher-acid oneAn aromatic dry white with the floral lift of Gewürztraminer but real acidity holding it up.
- Mtsvane (Kakheti, Georgia) the savory oneKakhuri Mtsvane: Gewürztraminer's perfume with a drier, greener, more savory edge.
- Torrontés (Salta, Argentina) the higher-acid oneA dry Gewürztraminer with brighter acidity and a lighter step, all the perfume, none of the weight.
- Kisi (Kakheti, Georgia) the aromatic oneAn aromatic white that grew a skin and went bone-dry, Gewurztraminer's perfume with grip instead of sugar.
- Malagousia (Macedonia, Greece) the higher-acid oneA fuller-bodied aromatic dry white, floral like Gewurztraminer but with fresher acidity and no residual sweetness.
- Zibibbo (Pantelleria, Sicily, Italy) the saltier oneAn aromatic white with the perfume of Moscato but a drier, saltier, sun-baked finish.
- Temjanika (Tikveš, North Macedonia) the tikveš oneThe dry Balkan Muscat cousin: all the floral perfume, none of the sweetness.
Usually a blend, pressed pale — Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Mourvèdre.
- Xinomavro (Naoussa, Greece) the structured onePale, bone-dry Amyndeon rosé — red berry cut with tomato leaf and herb, with acidity built for the table.
- Moschofilero the aromatic oneA pink-skinned grape born for rosé — rose petal and orange blossom over dry citrus, pale and fresh.
- Baga (Bairrada, Portugal) the crisp onePortugal's Bairrada made pink long before Provence went global — high-acid, tart and often lightly sparkling.
