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Wines like Grillo

A Sicilian white with good acidity and body, originally bred for Marsala and now a leading dry white. Below: what to try next, grouped by the direction you want to travel.

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What do you like about Grillo?

Optional — the results below already work without it. But “I like Malbec” is at least four different preferences wearing one name, and saying which one you mean changes the answer substantially. Only qualities this wine actually has are offered.

I like…

The tropical fruit That it is not oaky How aromatic it is That it is properly dry

But it’s a bit…

too tropical or sweet-smelling too heavy too light or thin too plain or too simple too perfumed too austere

Clear all

What these words mean

The tropical fruit: Passionfruit, mango, pineapple, guava. It comes from riper fruit and warmer sites, and it is the difference between Marlborough and Sancerre in the same grape.
How full and weighty it is: Body is how much the wine seems to fill your mouth — the difference between skimmed and whole milk. It comes mostly from alcohol and ripeness.
How light it is: A wine you can drink without it feeling like a commitment. Usually lower in alcohol as well as lighter in the mouth.
That it is not oaky: No barrel character — just the fruit and the acidity. Chablis and Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc are the reference points.
How aromatic it is: Some grapes announce themselves from across the room — Gewürztraminer, Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc. Others are far quieter, and quiet is not the same as dull.
That it is properly dry: No perceptible sugar at all. Almost all red wine is dry and a good deal of white wine is not, which is why this is a more useful thing to say about a white than about a red.

Looking for something keeping how much it smells of, before you even taste it and that it is properly dry, while moving away from too heavy and too tropical or sweet-smelling.

You said you like how much it smells of, before you even taste it and that it is too tropical or sweet-smelling. Both are about aromatic intensity, so they pull the same axis in opposite directions — the dislike is applied and the like is set aside.

Based on what you said

Ranked against the qualities you named rather than against the wine as a whole. The directions below are refined the same way.

Vermentino

curated

Both are saline, citrusy Mediterranean whites.

Has some of how much it smells of, before you even taste it, though less of it.
Keeps that it is properly dry.
A little less heavy.
A little less tropical or sweet-smelling.

Roditis

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Has some of how much it smells of, before you even taste it, though less of it.
Keeps that it is properly dry.
Substantially less heavy.
A little less tropical or sweet-smelling.

Parellada

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Has some of how much it smells of, before you even taste it, though less of it.
Keeps that it is properly dry.
Substantially less heavy.
A little less tropical or sweet-smelling.

Picpoul de Pinet

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Has some of how much it smells of, before you even taste it, though less of it.
Keeps that it is properly dry.
Substantially less heavy.
Substantially less tropical or sweet-smelling.

Picpoul

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Has some of how much it smells of, before you even taste it, though less of it.
Keeps that it is properly dry.
Substantially less heavy.
Substantially less tropical or sweet-smelling.

Aligoté

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Has some of how much it smells of, before you even taste it, though less of it.
Keeps that it is properly dry.
Substantially less heavy.
Substantially less tropical or sweet-smelling.

Colombard

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Has some of how much it smells of, before you even taste it, though less of it.
Keeps that it is properly dry.
Substantially less heavy.
Substantially less tropical or sweet-smelling.

Alpine white

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Has some of how much it smells of, before you even taste it, though less of it.
Keeps that it is properly dry.
Substantially less heavy.
Substantially less tropical or sweet-smelling.

Closest overall

Nearest neighbours, no change of direction.

Closest matches

The nearest overall neighbours across structure and flavour, with no deliberate change of direction.

Vermentino

curated

Both are saline, citrusy Mediterranean whites.

Expect: More herbal and lighter.

Roditis

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven.

Parellada

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and more floral.

Picpoul de Pinet

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and fresher.

Different grape, similar feel

Deliberately excludes the variety you already know, to find a genuinely new wine that fills the same role.

Roditis

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven.

Parellada

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and more floral.

Picpoul de Pinet

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and fresher.

Picpoul

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and fresher.

Change the structure

Same idea, different weight, grip or freshness.

Similar but lighter

Keeps the character but reduces weight, alcohol and density in the mouth.

Aligoté

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and more oaky.

Alpine white

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and lighter in alcohol.

Colombard

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and lighter in alcohol.

Parellada

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and more floral.

Similar but lower in alcohol

Holds the character and the weight where it can, and moves specifically on strength. Note that below about 11% the choices narrow sharply, and below 5% they are mostly a different category rather than a lighter version of the same one.

Alpine white

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and fresher and more acidic.

Colombard

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and fresher and more acidic.

Picpoul de Pinet

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and fresher.

Picpoul

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and fresher.

Similar but fuller

Keeps the character but adds weight, concentration and mouthfeel.

Chardonnay

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and more oaky.

Friuli white

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and stronger and warmer.

Greco

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and fresher and more acidic.

Douro white

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and stronger and warmer.

Similar but less tannic

For readers who find firm reds drying. Reduces tannic grip while holding flavour and weight roughly steady.

Nothing in WineHQ's catalogue makes this move meaningfully from here. These are the closest wines otherwise, but do not expect them to deliver what you asked for — the honest answer is that this style does not have a good neighbour in that direction.

Verdicchio

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and more oaky.

Roditis

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven.

Xarel·lo

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and rounder and creamier in texture.

Altesse

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and rounder and creamier in texture.

Similar but more structured

More tannic architecture, for food or for ageing.

Rkatsiteli

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and fresher and more acidic.

Koshu

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and more restrained in fruit.

Tsolikouri

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer.

Malvazija Istarska

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and more fruit-driven.

Similar but fresher

Raises acidity and overall lift, usually by moving to a cooler-climate expression.

Picpoul de Pinet

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and leaner and more cutting.

Picpoul

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and leaner and more cutting.

Aligoté

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and more oaky.

Colombard

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and lighter in alcohol.

Similar but softer

Lowers acidity and sharpness in favour of a broader, gentler feel.

Auxerrois

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and fuller and richer.

Arneis

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and softer and rounder.

Roero Arneis

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and softer and rounder.

Treixadura

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and softer and rounder.

The sparkling version

Moves to a sparkling expression while holding the flavour and weight as close as possible.

Glera

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and softer and rounder.

English Blanc de Blancs

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and fresher and more acidic.

Cava

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and fuller and richer.

English sparkling wine

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and fuller and richer.

Similar but sweeter

Adds perceptible sweetness, which also softens acidity and chilli heat.

Trebbiano Romagnolo

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and more restrained in fruit.

English still white

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and fresher and more acidic.

Vinho Verde

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and fresher and more acidic.

Glera

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and softer and rounder.

Change the flavour

Same shape, different aromatic character.

Similar but more oaky

Adds barrel character, toast and a creamier texture.

White Bordeaux

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and more aromatic.

Verdicchio

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and less oaky.

Aligoté

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and less oaky.

Jura Savagnin and Chardonnay

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and fresher and more acidic.

Similar but more aromatic

More to smell before you taste — floral, fruity or spiced aromatics.

Moschofilero

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and fruitier.

Mantinia Moschofilero

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and fruitier.

Torrontés

Torrontés scores closest to Grillo across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and fuller and richer.

Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc scores closest to Grillo across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and fuller and richer.

Similar but more restrained

For readers who find intensely aromatic wines tiring over a whole glass. Keeps the structure, turns the volume down.

Roditis

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven.

Picpoul de Pinet

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and fresher.

Picpoul

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and fresher.

Aligoté

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and more oaky.

Similar but more floral

Pushes specifically towards rose, violet, blossom and elderflower character.

Parellada

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and more fruit-driven.

Moschofilero

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and fruitier.

Mantinia Moschofilero

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and fruitier.

Welsh white wine

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and sweeter.

Similar but more savoury

Moves away from primary fruit towards earth, herb, meat and umami character.

Hunter Valley Semillon

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and fresher and more acidic.

Carricante

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and fresher and more acidic.

Etna Bianco

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and fresher and more acidic.

Grüner Veltliner

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and spicier.

Similar but fruitier

More obvious, generous fruit flavour, usually from a warmer climate.

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc scores closest to Grillo across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more aromatic.

Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and sweeter.

Spätlese

Spätlese scores closest to Grillo across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and sweeter.

Petit Manseng

Petit Manseng scores closest to Grillo across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and fuller and richer.

Change the mood

Safer, stranger, cheaper or more serious.

A safe next step

Well-known wines that are widely available and unlikely to surprise anyone.

Pinot Grigio

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and leaner and more cutting.

Grüner Veltliner

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and spicier.

Chablis

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and fresher and more acidic.

Glera

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and softer and rounder.

Something more adventurous

Less familiar wines that occupy similar territory — the interesting end of the shelf.

Roditis

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven.

Parellada

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and more floral.

Picpoul de Pinet

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and fresher.

Picpoul

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and fresher.

A better-value alternative

Wines that occupy similar sensory territory from regions carrying less price premium. WineHQ does not hold live prices, so this reasons from regional reputation and demand rather than from a price feed — treat it as a lead, not a quote.

Roditis

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven.

Parellada

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be lighter in alcohol, and more floral.

Picpoul de Pinet

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and fresher.

Picpoul

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher and more acidic, and fresher.

A step up

The benchmark expressions of the same territory, usually with more concentration, structure and ageing potential.

White Burgundy

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and stronger and warmer.

Santorini Assyrtiko

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and fresher and more acidic.

Australian Chardonnay

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and fruitier.

Chardonnay

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fuller and richer, and more oaky.

How these are chosen

Each suggestion is scored across sixteen taste dimensions, weighted so that structure matters more than flavour, and adjusted for whether the wine actually moves in the direction you asked for. Curated links from an editor carry extra weight — but only when the editor tagged them for this direction. Nothing here is a black box; see the taste model for the full method.