If you're looking to drink better Italian white wine without necessarily spending more, here's one of the simplest tips you'll ever learn.
Begin searching for historic place names.
Italy's wine labels can be confusing, but they also hide some of the country's best-value bottles. In many cases, when you see a historic sub-region or village on the label, you're looking at wine from the original heartland of that appellation, where stricter production standards, exceptional vineyard sites and centuries of winemaking tradition often result in higher-quality wines.
So why have Gavi when you could have Gavi di Gavi?
Why choose Soave when Soave Classico is sitting on the shelf?
Why buy Prosecco when you could enjoy Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore?
And why drink Greco when you can have Greco di Tufo?
Here are four simple Italian white wine upgrades every wine lover should know.
Instead of Gavi, Choose Gavi di Gavi
Best for: Lovers of crisp, elegant white wines.
Gavi is one of Piedmont's most popular white wines, made from the Cortese grape. It's fresh, citrus-driven and incredibly versatile.
However, if you spot Gavi di Gavi, it's often worth reaching for it instead.
What Is Gavi di Gavi?
Gavi di Gavi comes from the commune of Gavi itself, the historic centre of the appellation. While both wines follow the same DOCG rules, bottles labelled Gavi di Gavi come from vineyards surrounding the town that gave the wine its name and are often considered among the finest expressions of Cortese.
Compared with standard Gavi, expect:
- Greater concentration
- More minerality
- Better balance
- Extra finesse
Expect:
🍋 Lemon zest
🍐 Pear
🌸 White blossom
✨ A long, mineral finish
My Gavi supermarket swap:
Waitrose Blueprint Gavi, £10.75
Taste the Difference Gavi di Gavi (Sainsbury's), £13.00
Instead of Soave, Choose Soave Classico
Best for: Fans of fresh, mineral Italian whites.
Soave is one of Italy's classic white wines, produced primarily from Garganega.
But not all Soave comes from the same vineyards.
What Makes Soave Classico Different?
The Classico designation refers to the original hillside vineyards around the medieval towns of Soave and Monteforte d'Alpone. These volcanic slopes have been producing wine for centuries and remain the benchmark for quality.
Compared with standard Soave, Classico wines often offer:
- More concentration
- Greater complexity
- Better texture
- A stronger sense of place
Expect:
🍑 Peach
🍋 Citrus
🌼 Chamomile
✨ Saline minerality
If you're already buying Soave, choosing a Classico bottle is often one of the easiest upgrades you can make.
My Soave supermarket swap:
Bertani Soave, £15.00 (Majestic)
Morrisons The Best Soave Classico, £8.00
Instead of Prosecco, Choose Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore
Best for: Anyone looking for a more refined sparkling wine.
Most Prosecco comes from the wider DOC area across north-east Italy.
But if you see Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG, you're looking at Prosecco from its historic heartland.
Why Is It Better?
Conegliano and Valdobbiadene are the steep hillside vineyards where Prosecco first earned its reputation. Lower yields, hand harvesting and stricter production rules often result in wines with more character and finesse.
Compared with standard Prosecco, expect:
- Finer bubbles
- More complexity
- Greater freshness
- Better balance
Expect:
🍏 Green apple
🍐 Pear
🌼 White flowers
✨ Creamier mousse and a longer finish
My Prosecco supermarket swap:
Freixenet Prosecco DOC, £10.00 (Waitrose)
Specially Selected Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG, £10.99 (Aldi)
Transcript
Prosecco, spot the difference. Here we have Prosecco, 12 pound 50. Here's thirteen seventy five. What's the difference? This has the DOCG label on it, meaning that it's coming from a more premium, smaller region of Italy and better quality. Everything that comes from Val Di Biarrone, Prosecco Superiore, is definitely gonna be worth it. You're gonna get a steely, clean, crisp finish, less sweetness. Worth the difference of one pound 25.
Transcribed automatically from the speech, so a name may be misheard.
Instead of Greco, Choose Greco di Tufo
Best for: Lovers of fuller-bodied, food-friendly white wines.
Greco is one of southern Italy's oldest grape varieties.
But if you want to taste it at its very best, look for Greco di Tufo.
What Makes Greco di Tufo Different?
Greco di Tufo comes from a small historic area around the village of Tufo in Campania. The region's volcanic soils and higher elevations help produce wines with remarkable freshness, minerality and ageing potential.
Compared with generic Greco, expect:
- More intensity
- Greater complexity
- Vibrant acidity
- Distinctive mineral character
Expect:
🍋 Citrus
🍑 Stone fruit
🌰 Almond
✨ Smoky minerality
It's one of Italy's most underrated white wine upgrades.
My Greco supermarket swap:
Tre Fiori Greco di Tufo DOCG, £13.99 (Waitrose)
The Secret Is Often in the Place Name
One of the biggest misconceptions about Italian wine is that every bottle with the same grape or region offers the same experience.
In reality, the historic production zones are often where you'll find the greatest concentration of quality.
That's why these simple swaps are worth remembering:
Gavi to Gavi di Gavi
Soave to Soave Classico
Prosecco to Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore
Greco to Greco di Tufo
You don't always need to spend more to drink better wine.
Sometimes, all it takes is knowing which name to look for.
The smartest wine buyers aren't just reading the front of the label. They're reading the place names.
And in Italy, those names often tell the whole story.
Elizabeth Hawthornthwaite
