Fans of pinot grigio from northern Italy might be interested to know that many other Italian white wines share a similar flavor profile, even when made from other grapes in other regions. This is partly due to pinot grigio’s popularity, of course, but also stems from a white winemaking philosophy that is rooted in Italy’s viticultural history and gastronomic sensibilities.

Historically, the world’s finest white wines have tended to be modeled on either French or German styles. The French typically first aimed to ripen their grapes as fully as possible, then to make their wines as dry as possible, producing food-flattering styles with plenty of palate weight, concentration, and flavor complexity.