How are Italian white wine appellations differentiating themselves?

With Vinitaly 2026 kicking off this weekend, Sarah Neish finds out what key Italian consorzi are prioritising for their white wines, to help buyers and sommeliers cherry-pick the perfect fit for their customers.

This Sunday 12 April sees the launch of Vinitaly 2026, which takes place in Verona across three days. If you’re heading to the fair with white wines in mind, here is a breakdown of some of the key differentiators and priorities across some of Italy’s key white wine regions. And for a further deep-dive into how to smash white wine sales targets, don’t miss db’s essential blueprint to success for Italian whites.

Garda and low-alcohol

Garda DOC, an appellation made up of 10 other DOCs including Bardolino, Custoza, Valpolicella, Soave, Lugana and more, is putting its low-alcohol credentials at the top of its list.

“For 2026, we will place particular emphasis on the low-alcohol segment, which reflects a clear evolution in global consumption trends and a growing interest in more balanced, contemporary lifestyles,” Paolo Fiorini, president, Consorzio Garda DOC, told db. “It is a category that is gaining increasing relevance across international markets, particularly among younger consumers,” he said.

It is vital, he added, for “producers to ensure that their wines respond to the tastes and expectations of a new generation of consumers.”

According to Fiorini, Garda DOC will look to stay consistent on price this year. “Garda DOC occupies a mid-range price segment, consistent with the denomination’s positioning and competitive within the broader landscape of Italian white wines in international markets.”

And rather than focusing on a single ‘hero grape’, the appellation is keen to promote its full range of authorised white grape varieties, most notably Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Garganega, alongside others such as Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon, Riesling, Cortese and Müller-Thurgau. “This diversity of grape varieties is one of Garda DOC’s key strengths, allowing the territory to express a variety of styles while maintaining a consistent profile defined by freshness, elegance and drinkability,” said Fiorini.

Indeed, something all the wines share is a deep connection to Lake Garda itself. “The strong link to place is the true distinguishing feature of the denomination. It provides identity and recognisability while celebrating the richness and diversity of grape varieties cultivated in the area,” Fiorini said. Lake Garda, Italy’s largest lake, is located between Lombardy, Veneto, and Trentino-Alto Adige. Formed by a glacier, it spans 370 km², with a total shoreline of around 160 km, and reaches depths of 346–350 meters.

In 2025 Garda DOC recorded strong growth, seeing a +20% year-on-year increase. “Total bottlings reached 175,352 hectolitres, equivalent to more than 23.3 million 0.75 litre bottles, and export markets remain a key driver for development,” shared Fiorini. Last year, Garda DOC’s total vineyard surface reached 2,358 hectares.

Gavi and versatility

With 1,600 hectares planted to white grape Cortese, the current commercial profile of Gavi DOCG is defined by the fact that 92% of its production is allocated to international markets. “This is a very high share, confirming the denomination’s strong international vocation. Gavi is already an Italian white wine with a very strong export orientation,” explains Maurizio Montobbio, president of the Consorzi Tutela del Gavi.

This year, Gavi DOCG, located within Piedmont, northern Italy, will place its biggest emphasis on the versatility of its wines.

“Gavi is not a wine for a single occasion, but one that can accompany an entire meal,” stressed consorzio president Maurizio Montobbio. “Gavi is a contemporary white wine that reflects a modern taste, defined by precision, freshness and balance.”

He also wants to drive home the notion that Gavi wines are about “accessibility, but not simplicity”.

One preconception, said Montobbio, “is that Gavi is simply a classic, well-mannered white wine, but not particularly surprising. In reality, it is a multifaceted denomination. Gavi can be tense, fresh and immediate when young, but also deep, complex and capable of evolving over time. At a moment when consumers are seeking drinkability, identity and less excess, Gavi speaks a very contemporary language.”

Sicily and organics

If a customer is looking for an organic Italian white you might like to point them towards Sicila DOC.

“Sicily is currently Italy’s leading region in terms of organically farmed vineyard surface. Thanks to the island’s naturally favourable climatic conditions, vineyard treatments can be kept to a minimum, supporting an increasingly sustainable approach,” said Camillo Pugliesi, director, Sicilia DOC.

“When it comes to Sicily, we are seeing growing interest in wines that combine freshness, a distinct Mediterranean character, and great drinkability, produced with an increasing focus on sustainability and environmental respect,” Pugliesi added.

The island’s, “combination of varying altitudes, diverse soils, and strong maritime influence allows for the production of white wines with remarkable personality, defined by freshness, balance, and the ability to evolve over time,” Pugliesi said.

Furthermore, indigenous varieties such as Grillo and Lucido “clearly demonstrate that the island can produce complex, versatile whites that are increasingly appreciated in international gastronomy.”

Calling Grillo and Lucido “true ambassadors of a territory”, Pugliesi said that these two grape varieties “embody the island’s historical identity and are “helping to strengthen Sicily’s recognition in global markets.”

Collio and rare soil type

Looking for a strong ‘sense of place’ story to share with customers? Collio’s unique soil profile might just be it.

The hilly wine region in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, northeastern Italy, is increasingly promoting the characteristics of its ‘ponca’ soil.

“To solve the problem of market fragmentation and to differentiate our white wines from mass-market competitors, we are emphasising Collio’s unique soil, known as ponca (a mix of marl and sandstone from the Eocene era) and the specific mineral salinity and structure that cannot be replicated elsewhere,” Luca Raccaro, president, Consorzio Tutela Vini Collio, told db. Formed from the remains of a prehistoric seabed, ponca is rich in calcium carbonate, potassium, iron, and phosphorus, which all contribute to a wine’s complexity, and bring a distinctive salinity to local whites like Ribolla Gialla and Friulano.

Because of this, Raccaro added, Collio “is transitioning from being a producer of niche, quality wines to a territorial brand with a highly defined identity.”

Longevity, too, is a core message regarding the region’s whites. “Collio white wines are not just for the current vintage; they are built to age, especially varieties like Friulano and Ribolla Gialla, which evolve beautifully over five to 10 years and even longer. This moves the brand into the fine wine category, competing with white Burgundy or aged Rieslings,” Raccaro claimed.

Custoza and quality wines for gastronomy

Custoza DOC, located in the Veneto, closed 2025 with 72,178 hectolitres bottled, “a figure that marks substantial stability compared to the previous year, with a limited decline of around 1%,” said Roberta Bricolo, president, Custoza DOC Consortium.

Across the appellation, the breakdown of white varieties is 32% Garganega, 23% Trebbiano Toscano, 13% Tocai Friulano and 12% Cortese. “The remaining 20% is made up of the complementary varieties permitted under the production regulations, including Manzoni Bianco, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay, Riesling and Malvasia,” said Bricolo.

Quality is the top priority, with the appellation taking clear steps to ensure this. Stocks of vintages prior to 2025 (the most recent harvest) are currently at an all-time low (just over 13,000 hectolitres). “This is the result of careful and prudent management of production and bottling, as well as the most recent amendments to the production regulations,” said Bricolo. “These rules now allow for vintage blending limited to 15%, exclusively with wine from the immediately preceding year and only until 31 December of the harvest year.”

Explaining the reasoning behind the changes, Bricolo said: “Today, quality is no longer an optional element: it is an essential prerequisite. Without a solid quality base, it is no longer possible to engage credibly with the market. That said, the real challenge is not only to be sound in quality terms, but also to be recognisable, coherent and well positioned. Quality alone is no longer enough: it must be supported by identity, narrative and presence in the right contexts.”

That presence lies largely in the on-trade.

“Our attention is on Custoza’s ability to become part of people’s real lives: at the table, while travelling and in moments of conviviality. Our work this year will focus strongly on Custoza DOC’s ability to be perceived as a contemporary, distinctive and gastronomic appellation,” confirmed Bricolo.