White grape variety
Grillo
A Sicilian white with good acidity and body, originally bred for Marsala and now a leading dry white.
What is Grillo?
Grillo holds acidity better than Catarratto in Sicily’s heat and produces fuller, more aromatic dry whites with a saline finish.
Sicily, as a crossing of Catarratto and Moscato of Alexandria.
The Vitis International Variety Catalogue, maintained by the Julius Kühn Institute, holds this variety as accession 5021 under the prime name GRILLO, with berry skin colour blanc and country of origin italy, and the pedigree "CATARRATTO BIANCO COMUNE X MUSCAT OF ALEXANDRIA". Checked 2026-08-17.
What it tastes like
This is the envelope across every expression of Grillo, not a description of one bottle. Wide ranges are the honest answer.
| Dimension | Typical | Range | Variation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | low | Consistent | |
| Acidity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Alcohol | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Body | medium | Some variation | |
| Fruit intensity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Aromatic intensity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Oak influence | low | Consistent | |
| Savoury character | medium | Some variation | |
| Floral character | low | Consistent | |
| Herbal / green character | low | Consistent | |
| Spice | low | Consistent | |
| Earthy character | low | Consistent | |
| Perceived freshness | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Texture | medium | Consistent |
Common flavours
Wines made from it
The same grape in different places and different hands. These are where the wide ranges above resolve into something specific.
Where it grows
- Sicily — Italy
If you like Grillo, try…
Every suggestion says why it is connected and what will be different.
Closest matches
What is most like this?
Vermentino
Both are saline, citrusy Mediterranean whites.
More herbal and lighter.
Catarratto
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and more restrained in fruit.
Trebbiano Abruzzese
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and more restrained in fruit.
Similar but lighter
Something like this, but lighter?
Pinot Grigio
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and more restrained in fruit.
Roditis
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and more restrained in fruit.
Trebbiano Romagnolo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and sweeter.
Similar but lower in alcohol
Something like this, but less alcoholic?
Trebbiano Spoletino
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and more neutral and subtle.
Vermentino
Both are saline, citrusy Mediterranean whites.
More herbal and lighter.
Carricante
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and more neutral and subtle.
Similar but fuller
Something like this, but richer?
Soave Classico
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more oaky, and more neutral and subtle.
Fiano
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more floral, and more oaky.
Fiano di Avellino
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be more floral, and more oaky.
What to eat with it
Ranked by WineHQ's pairing engine, which reasons from the structure of the dish.
Fillet steak
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
Salmon
Works because the dish is rich, and acidity cuts through fat and refreshes the palate.
Asparagus
Works because bitterness in the dish and tannin in the wine accumulate rather than balance.
Salmon in a cream sauce
Works because the dish is rich, and acidity cuts through fat and refreshes the palate.
Trout
Works because low tannin avoids the metallic interaction with fish.
Turkey
Works because the finished dish, not the raw ingredient, sets the target.
What to avoid with it
Dishes the pairing engine scores badly, and the principle that explains why. A short list: most things are fine.
How to serve it
Temperature
9–12°C
48–54°F · Fridge cold
From a 20°C room, roughly two to three hours in the fridge, or about 20 minutes in a bucket of ice and water.
Decanting
No need to decant
Nothing about this wine suggests it needs decanting. Light, aromatic and sparkling wines generally lose more than they gain.
Glass
Universal wine glass
A medium tulip-shaped glass handles almost everything well. If you own one set of glasses, this is the set to own — the difference between a good universal glass and a grape-specific one is far smaller than the difference between a good glass and a bad one.
Ageing
Most wines made from this grape are for drinking now, but certain styles reward keeping.
The fresh, citrus-driven style is for drinking young. Grillo also has the substance to make Marsala, and the fuller unfortified versions from lower-yielding sites hold several years — the variety carries more weight than its usual presentation suggests.
Family tree
Established by DNA analysis. Ampelography alone could not have found these relationships.
Sources
Sources consulted
- Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC) — Julius Kühn-Institut, Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof