The Hidden Side of Italian White Wines: Longevity and Character

The discussion around the evolution and aging of Italian wines has traditionally focused on reds, the cornerstone of the country’s international reputation. However, growing interest in whites is opening up new perspectives. Cristina Mercuri DipWSET and Gill Gordon Smith IWE, at the wine2wine Business Forum, spotlighted the often-overlooked ability of Italian white wines to age gracefully.

A Cultural Issue

Why don’t we age Italian white wines? The answer is partly cultural; Italian winemaking tradition has historically favored reds, while whites have often been seen as wines for immediate consumption. On top of that, there are market dynamics and production practices at play—commercial demands, quick stock turnover, and a lack of infrastructure to store historic vintages.

Structure, Acidity, and Terroir

However, as Mercuri points out, several factors contribute to the longevity of a white: dense fruit, pronounced acidity, layered structure, and sometimes aging on lees or the use of oak. Origin plays a key role: varietals like Verdicchio, Fiano, Greco, or Garganega offer concrete examples of whites that can age nobly.

Untapped Potential in Need of Better Communication

Gordon-Smith emphasizes that the global market increasingly rewards characterful whites. The problem isn’t so much quality—which is often outstanding—but storytelling: consumers don’t know about the aging potential of Italian whites, nor do they have chances to taste them.

Toward a New Strategy for Value Enhancement

The proposal is clear: create “time banks” through consortia—real archives of historic vintages to be used in tastings and educational events. In doing so, a new image of Italian white wines could emerge, positioning them as surprising, age-worthy, and proud representations of their terroir.

Gill Gordon Smith IWE

Gill Gordon Smith IWE is a winemaker, wine educator, and international judge with an outstanding academic background and expertise in alternative grape varieties. She is an Italian Wine Expert VIA, a French and Italian Wine Scholar, and co-creator of the “Qantas Sommelier in the Sky” program, which has trained over 7,000 professionals. She teaches at TAFE SA, one of the world’s top ten WSET schools, and has received multiple awards for her contributions to wine education and communication.

Cristina Mercuri DipWSET

Cristina Mercuri DipWSET is a wine educator, founder of Wine Club, and a Master of Wine candidate currently in the third stage of the program. After a career in law, she specialized in advanced education in the Wine & Spirits sector, working with WSET students, sommeliers, and industry businesses. She has over ten years of experience and takes a multidisciplinary approach to teaching.