Ryan Robinson, Director of Education, Brescome Barton and Worldwide Wines.

By Ryan Robinson, Advanced Sommelier-CMS, WSET Diploma and WSET Educator

Wine can be an incredibly confusing subject to grasp, let alone master. All too often when buying wine, we find a brand or variety that we recognize and fully commit to that label because it’s what we know and it keeps us in our comfort zone. In doing so, we are missing out on a whole world of new wines and new potential favorites that are packed with exciting flavors and emotions.

Try something different as we blaze into 2024. New year, new wine! Challenge yourself to try a brand that you’ve never seen before or a grape variety that you have never heard of—even better if it’s one you can’t pronounce!

As you venture into the unexpected world of wine, Italy is ripe for adventure as it is home to more than 500 native grape varieties. Some you may find familiar, such as Sangiovese or Nebbiolo, but there are so many more varieties waiting to be pursued. If you are the kind of person that finds yourself living in the Chardonnay-Sauvignon-Blanc-Pinot-Grigio world, I want you to trust me and draw your gaze to Grechetto.

Grechetto is a green grape variety and has the potential to produce crisp, lively white wines brimming with fresh citrus, pear and yellow apple. It can be absolutely delicious when consumed young. For the more patient, Grechetto with a little age to it undergoes a complete identity change and it develops flavors of hazelnut, chamomile and baked apple. It can be produced as a dry, sweet or even sparkling wine.

Greek civilization played a heavy hand in vine cultivation and wine production throughout what is now Italy. So much so that the Greco name is often affiliated with Italian grape varieties and appellations. In the case of Grechetto, it did not originate from its namesake but is found throughout the Umbria, Lazio, Emilia-Romagna and Marche regions.

With the advancement of science and DNA analysis, there are two main types of grapes that are called Grechetto, although they are unrelated. Of these two, I want to draw your curiosity to Grechetto di Orvieto: a specific Grechetto grape variety that contributes to some of the best fresh white wines produced in the Umbrian appellation of Orvieto DOC. Here, the variety thrives in the higher altitude of rolling hills and the presence of humidity.

Grechetto on the vine. Photo by Ryan Robinson

For those of you who are concerned about the use of chemicals in the vineyard, Grechetto di Orvieto has a natural resistance to downy mildew and botrytis, which means there is less of a need to use fungicides in the vineyard.

Historically, Grechetto has been blended with the more familiar varieties of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. More recently, producers have been releasing Grechetto di Orvieto as a single-varietal wine and it has been a success.

Grechetto di Orvieto is incredibly versatile. It really is a year-round wine to consume. Normally, when thinking of the best time to drink white wines, we think of summer—and Grechetto di Orvieto does not disappoint with its fresh citrus acidity, pear and white flower aromas and flavors. It’s perfect for the beach or the patio. Yet, I think it shines best this time of the year as I like to pair it with savory meals incorporating white meats or, even better, it is fun to pair with soup … any kind of soup.

This is just one of Italy’s many exciting native grape varieties. As the world of wine is always growing and evolving, I am constantly reading, traveling and researching to stay informed. If you want to learn more about the unique regions and grape varieties of Italy, I recommend the recently awarded “Italian Wine Unplugged 2.0.” What I like about this text is that it is very user-friendly and is the work of many contributors, from masters of wine to Italian wine ambassadors. It’s a great place to begin!

Ryan Robinson is the Director of Education for Brescome Barton and Worldwide Wines in Connecticut. He is also the Wine Director for Cornerstone Restaurant Group in North America and South Korea, and an Adjunct Professor at the University of New Haven. He holds the credentials of Advanced Sommelier-CMS; WSET Diploma and WSET Educator in Wine, Sake and Beer; Rioja Wine Educator; Wine Scholar Guild Educator and Spanish Wine Specialist; and Certified Scotch Whisky Professional from the Council of Whiskey Masters.