White grape variety
Pecorino
A revived central Italian variety producing structured, herbal, mineral dry whites.
What is Pecorino?
Pecorino had nearly disappeared before its recovery in the 1980s, and has since become one of central Italy’s most commercially successful whites.
It is more structured and herbal than most Italian whites, with good acidity and a savoury, hay-like character.
The Marche and Abruzzo. It shares its name with the cheese but is not otherwise connected.
The Vitis International Variety Catalogue, maintained by the Julius Kühn Institute, holds this variety as accession 9072 under the prime name PECORINO, with berry skin colour blanc and country of origin italy. Checked 2026-08-17.
What it tastes like
This is the envelope across every expression of Pecorino, 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 | Some variation | |
| Aromatic intensity | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Oak influence | low | Consistent | |
| Savoury character | medium | Some variation | |
| Floral character | low | Consistent | |
| Herbal / green character | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Spice | low | Consistent | |
| Earthy character | low | Consistent | |
| Perceived freshness | medium-plus | Some variation | |
| Texture | medium | Some variation |
Common flavours
Where it grows
If you like Pecorino, try…
Every suggestion says why it is connected and what will be different.
Closest matches
What is most like this?
Grüner Veltliner
Both are dry, herbal, savoury whites with real structure.
More peppery and less Mediterranean.
Vermentino
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.
Grillo
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be riper and less green, and fruitier.
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 riper and less green, and more neutral and subtle.
Roditis
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be riper and less green, and more neutral and subtle.
Cortese
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be riper and less green, and more neutral and subtle.
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 riper and less green, and more neutral and subtle.
South African Sauvignon Blanc
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect it to be more oaky, and fresher and more acidic.
Carricante
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be riper and less green, 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 riper and less green, and more oaky.
Greco
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be riper and less green, and more neutral and subtle.
Friuli white
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.
Expect it to be riper and less green, 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.
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.
Halibut
Works because low tannin avoids the metallic interaction with fish.
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
Wines made from this grape are generally at their best within a few years.
Revived from near-extinction and generally made to be drunk within a few years. It has good natural acidity and a little more structure than most central Italian whites, so it holds better than Trebbiano, but it is not a keeping wine.
Sources
Sources consulted
- Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC) — Julius Kühn-Institut, Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof
- Italian DOP and IGP wine register — Ministero dell’agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste (MASAF)