Pecorino

Pecorino is not a cheese—it's a nearly-forgotten white grape that became one of Italy's greatest twenty-first-century wine success stories. Rediscovered in the early 1980s by Guido Cocci Grifoni in the Marche, this variety now produces firm, dry, minerally wines with distinctive herbal character across eastern Italy. Explore its regions and producers below.

What is Pecorino wine known for?

Pecorino delivers firm, dry, minerally whites with crisp acidity and delicate herbal notes of sage, thyme, and mint. The wines balance high alcohol—typically 14% or above—with natural acidity and concentrated fruit, making them distinctive among Italian whites. Award-winning examples from Cataldi Madonna and Cocci Grifoni proved the variety's commercial and critical potential, prompting dozens of producers to plant and bottle their own versions.

What grapes grow in Pecorino?

Pecorino is the signature white variety. Early-ripening with excellent disease resistance, it ripens before late-season rains arrive and can be vinified ahead of other local varieties, freeing winery space. The grape's sterile basal buds require long training systems such as Guyot or pergola to perform at their best.

Where do the best Pecorino wines come from?

The Marche and Abruzzo are the heartland. In the Marche, look to Offida, where Pecorino earned DOCG status and Cocci Grifoni leads with benchmark examples. In Abruzzo, Cataldi Madonna pioneered monovarietal bottlings, followed by successful producers in Terre di Chieti and Colline Pescaresi regions. Plantings have spread to Lazio, Umbria, and Tuscany, but the Marche and Abruzzo remain the finest sources.

Who is Pecorino wine for?

Value seekers will find honest, mineral-driven whites at fair prices. Adventurous drinkers drawn to Italian native varieties and natural acidity will discover a wine with genuine character and rusticity balanced by refinement. Collectors appreciate the rarity factor: Pecorino was nearly extinct thirty years ago and remains far less planted than international alternatives.

How does Pecorino differ between the Marche and Abruzzo?

Marche Pecorino, particularly from Offida, is often made with extended skin contact on the must, creating higher extract and darker herbal notes with balsamic nuances. Abruzzo Pecorino skips maceration, resulting in lighter, fresher wines with brighter apple and pear character. Both achieve 14% alcohol or higher due to low productivity per vine, but either way the wines remain balanced and crisp.