Orvieto DOC is an Italian white-wine appellation located in southern Umbria, with a small portion overlapping into Lazio. It is simultaneously one of Italy’s most famous white wines, yet least known. As sommelier and wine educator Scott Thomas, CWE, IWA, notes, Orvieto is in the midst of an exciting renaissance.
Whether you’ve never tried Orvieto wines, or you are curious to revisit them once again, this First-Taste Guide will get you acquainted.
Look, haven’t we seen this narrative play out enough to know? When it comes to rebounds, you should never count out an Italian appellation.
Known as “green Italy,” Umbria’s charm lies in its untouched beauty. Despite often being considered an extension of Tuscany due to their shared borders, Umbria feels wild, undiscovered and significantly less touristy than Tuscany.
In the southwest corner, equidistant between Rome and Florence, you will find Orvieto Città, perched high above one of Italy’s most picturesque landscapes. And it is here that another truth about Umbria emerges: its under-the-radar wines offer endless delight.
Orvieto boasts one of the longest documented histories of vine-growing in Italy. However, the recent surge of Italian white wine popularity has somewhat bypassed Orvieto. Why? Probably because gatekeepers often assume these wines are just another crisp, nondescript Italian white. But with a territory blessed with terroir diversity, a tightly knit band of estate producers, and a handful of high-quality grapes, Orvieto has all the tools to impress.

Look, haven’t we seen this narrative play out enough to know? When it comes to rebounds, you should never count out an Italian appellation. Gavi and Soave are perfect examples of this. And after spending a week in the Orvieto region, I can attest, these wines deserve a rightful place at the table, as they are better than ever.
3 Reasons to Try Orvieto Wine
- You love white wines with character and personality – There is no “one” Orvieto. There are many orvieti as the wines are modeled on the classic field-blend model, in which several grape varieties from a vineyard are intermixed, equalling wines with structure, freshness and wild versatility at the table.
- You love value – Rarely does a bottle of Orvieto top $25 on a retail shelf. Think about that the next time you are looking for wines that readily overdeliver and punch above their weight class, especially for a grower-producer wine.
- You are retro and appreciate bringing the once-fashionable back to public notoriety – “Oh yeah, my parents used to drink Orvieto.” I’ve heard this for real. Italian whites are having a moment right now, and Orvieto should be at the top of your list to “rediscover,” especially if it has been a while. Make your parents proud.
What is Orvieto DOC wine?
Orvieto DOC is a white wine-only denomination, usually blended, covering still and sweet wines. The disciplinare requires at least 60% Grechetto and/or Procanico (a high-quality Trebbiano Toscano biotype), with the remaining 40% being other indigenous or international varieties. This results in diverse wines depending on the blend and terroir. You won’t see many new oak barrels lining the wineries because these wines are generally intended to be fresh and bright.

Sweetness levels range from secco (dry), abboccato (off-dry), amabile (semi-sweet) to dolce (sweet). Most wines are secco, but abboccato is also common, resulting in wines with a touch of residual sugar. There is a historic precedent for these off-dry production methods, as stuck fermentations were common thanks to the cold, tufo caves underneath the city where wine was once produced.
Labels may indicate classico, meaning from the historic area which excludes the Lazio portion, or superiore, which requires extended aging of 5 months and a minimum 12% ABV.
The sweet wines of Orvieto have been heralded for centuries. The disciplinare uniquely includes vendemmia tardiva and muffa nobile .
While most producers make some style of vino dolce, muffa nobile wines are far costlier, more rare, and typically produced only closer to bodies of water. The region’s humidity from the multitude of rivers and lakes can foster botrytis, which produces some of the best sweet wines in the world. This regular occurrence of botrytis wine didn’t begin until the damming of the Tevere River in 1963, creating Lago di Corbara. This resulted in the perfect humid environment which is coupled with consistent, moderate autumns filled with sunshine. These exceptional sweet wines are lesser-known and rarely exported, but they do offer a great reason to visit Orvieto.
About the Appellation and Its Wines
Orvieto is one of the earliest white-only DOC’s dating back to 1971, and — as I noted earlier — it is a rare interregional denomination spanning both Umbria and Lazio (however, the majority of Orvieto wine is produced on the Umbrian side of the border).
The vineyards surround Orvieto Città on all sides and it’s easy to see the city in the distance from most wineries, as it’s built upon a vertical tufo cliff. The city itself dates back to the Etruscan civilization, which is evident in its ancient underground tunnels and caves.

Like neighboring regions, the landscape is characterized by beautiful rolling hills, dense forests, winding rivers, vineyards, and ancient olive groves, all preserving its timeless appeal and historic polyculture mentality.
Shaking free of [Orvieto’s] past reputation is something producers are actively doing today, and this estate-born revolution is gaining momentum.
Certainly, Orvieto wine has faced an identity crisis. Why is that? For one thing, it is perception. Most wine pros today incorrectly think Orvieto is a massive region, but with only 5,000 acres under vine it’s roughly equivalent to the size of Barolo (and 300,000 less cases produced than Barolo).
The false perception of this region’s giant production is likely because of their success on the export market. It was common for bottlers — i.e. producers from outside the region — to purchase bulk Orvieto wine to sell alongside their red wines (Chianti producers for example). Plus, there’s a thriving private-label model where Orvieto DOC bottles are destined for the bottom of a supermarket shelf. These are the wines we’ve been seeing on the market for years. Perhaps the lack of investment in the territory resulted in these wines that were generally non-descript, mediocre, crisp and predictable. Shaking free of that reputation is something producers are actively doing today, and this estate-born revolution is gaining momentum.
Thirty passionate grower-producers and two high-quality co-ops are all making world-class wines. Many grower families have arrived in the region within the last 40 years, post-mezzadria . Armed with fresh ideas, these families recognized the region’s potential for quality and have invested heavily in the vineyards and wineries, and, as a result, are crafting wines that deserve to be sought out.
History
Orvieto’s past is inherently tied to some of the most historically important populations that have shaped current-day Italy.
The vine was first cultivated in western Umbria by the Etruscans in the 8th century BC, predating the Greeks. Orvieto became their spiritual center where the leaders of the Etruscan league would gather for religious ceremonies and political meetings, with wine and olive oil playing an integral part in their daily life.
Fast-forward to the Middle Ages and Renaissance times and we learn that five popes either summered or took refuge around Orvieto (praising the sweet wines from the area, no less). The Duomo of Orvieto, a magnificent church, was commissioned by Pope Urban IV in 1263, and still stands as a symbol of the church’s importance in the area.

Today, you can travel by train from Florence or Rome, hop the funicular up the sheer rock face, and stroll the quaint streets of Orvieto in less than two hours. Be sure to check out the frescos in the Duomo, take a long walk along the wall for vistas stretching miles, and sample the local regional speciality, piccione (aka, pigeon). Honestly, Orvieto is worth visiting just to enter the caves below to witness “the city below the city” where Etruscan industry thrived.
Terroir
Mountains, rivers, lakes, volcanos, ancient seabeds and rolling forested hills. Terroir nerds look no further: Orvieto has it all.
This area of Umbria was once submerged under the sea during the Pliocene era, approximately 5 to 2.5 million years ago. As it receded, it left behind a diverse mix of clay, marine sediments, fossils, and sands.
Then from 315,000 to 100,000 years ago, volcanic eruptions from nearby Volcini deposited massive amounts of ash over Orvieto, which over time compacted into tufo — a lightweight porous rock seen everywhere throughout the vineyards, cellars and buildings. That crater collapsed and eventually became Lago di Bolsena, Europe’s deepest and largest crater lake. Along with nearby Lago di Corbara, Bolsena pumps humidity into the local atmosphere, which helps to moderate Orvieto’s microclimate. The Paglia and Tevere Rivers further shape the terroir by offering fertile alluvial soils in the form of river basins, while providing strategic water sources for vineyards, and their own tinge of humidity, which is perfect for noble rot.

The Consorzio Vino Orvieto has recently commissioned a map that outlines Orvieto’s four distinct terroirs by soil type: clay, sandy clay, alluvial and volcanic. Although producers tend to highlight the soil and chat about cause and effect, it may be difficult to discern what the soils bring to the table because of the wide range of grapes that can be blended. However, because of this soil diversity, Orvieto offers wine lovers the opportunity to explore its terroir by subregion.
Grapes
Grechetto di Orvieto is all about citrus fruits, lightness, and sapidity. Grechetto di Todi, on the other hand, is one of Italy’s more tannic white varieties.
Orvieto DOC wines are almost always blended, with the backbone being Grechetto and Procanico. Despite the disciplinare only mentioning “Grechetto,” there are two unrelated Grechetto grapes allowed: Grechetto di Orvieto and Grechetto di Todi.
Grechetto di Orvieto is all about citrus fruits, lightness, and sapidity. Grechetto di Todi, on the other hand, is one of Italy’s more tannic white varieties, so wines with this grape will have an inherent weightiness and astringent grip, perfect for pairing with the regionally heavy cuisine.
It’s somewhat confusing because although these grapes are different varieties, they are both referred to as just Grechetto, with no mandated indication of which Grechetto is utilized. It is kind of like the Trebbiano landscape of Abruzzo. You never know if it’s Trebbiano Toscano or Trebbiano Abruzzese unless the producer clearly states it.
Procanico is a local biotype of Trebbiano Toscano. Trebbiano is a grape group of mostly unrelated varieties. Procanico, however, is specific to this region and widely considered high quality. Procanico adds another shot of acidity, as well as delicate florals and citrus. Since it is resistant to rot, Procanico is perfect for late-harvest wines.
Because the grapes mentioned above need to make up a minimum 60% of an Orvieto DOC wine, the remaining 40% can be a slew of others, both local and international varieties, furthering the opportunity for a broad range of styles and producer expression. Common local and international varieties include Vermentino, with its pronounced tropical aromatics; Chardonnay adding weight and texture to a blend; and Sauvignon Blanc giving grassiness and acidity; plus a handful of other native grapes.
Some would argue that grapes and percentages included in the disciplinare are too liberal and broad, not allowing a clear understanding of what’s in the bottle. I would argue that some of the great wine regions in the world also allow for a broad range (e.g. Collio or Etna), thus making Orvieto a dynamic region encouraging a producer to decide what is best for their given terroir. I honestly think the blending opportunity is the region’s largest strength, which provides endless opportunities for the consumer to find different styles.
Aging Potential
Even with its historic importance, the wines of Orvieto have remained largely unrealized and undervalued considering their amazing drinkability and longevity. A young still wine from Orvieto will be fresh and vibrant, with a strong citrus backbone, floral components, and a texture that gives one pause.

Most wine professionals, including Italy’s top journalists, wouldn’t think an Orvieto wine could age well. However, after attending the annual Orvieto di Vino event in June of 2023 and participating in a 13-vintage masterclass led by Kerin O’Keefe and Riccardo Cotarella, I now believe these wines have amazing cellaring potential, especially those from sandy-oriented soils. The oldest wines, dating back to 2010, were still full of life and resembled dry Alsatian Riesling with haunting aromas of petrol.
So, enjoy these Orvieto wines now while they are fresh and bright, but if you forget about them in the cellar — or if you scoop up an older vintage from a retail shelf — you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you pop the cork.
Lastly, look for the term imbottigliato all’origine when seeking out one of the 30 grower-producers. This indicates the wines are 100% estate grown, vinified and bottled by the producer and not an outside bottler from another region.
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Your First Taste
The following wines are atop my list for good “first taste” candidates, as they offer typicity and a sense of excitement about what’s happening in Orvieto.
2022 Decugnano dei Barbi “Mare Antico” Orvieto Classico Superiore DOC
This estate stares at the Orvieto village from the east, and as the name suggests, the vineyard for this Orvieto wine (★★★★ 3/4) is littered with fossils and evidence of the ancient sea bed. It’s a blend of 55% Grechetto, 5% Procanico, 20% Vermentino, and 20% Chardonnay plus a small portion (5%), was fermented in barriques and it underwent malolactic fermentation. The one word descriptor is “polished.” This wine is the perfect balance of all of these grapes, with Chardonnay adding weight and the Vermentino adding levity. Enticing aromas of stone fruits and almonds give way to evident minerality, sapidity, and hints of candied lime.
Don’t miss an opportunity to taste Decugnano dei Barbi’s Pourritore Noble, Enzo Barbi’s show-stopping muffa nobile if you have the chance. Or, try his metodo classico sparkling wine which is aged in the estate’s deep Etruscan caves.
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2022 Palazzone “Terre Vineate” Orvieto Classico Superiore DOC
Sitting adjacent to another famous volcanic outcropping called Rocca Ripensa and close to the Paglia River, Palazzone produces their dry wines with the native grape varieties Procanico, Grechetto, Malvasia and Verdello. A first taste of this full-bodied wine (★★★★ 3/4) indicates density and even a touch of tannin that’s well-complemented by ripe stone fruits, acacia flower and a persistent acidity. If I were to guess, Grechetto di Todi is in this blend. This type of wine requires a weightier dish to fully appreciate.
2021 Tenuta di Salviano “Castello di Titignano” Orvieto Classico Superiore DOC
From the furthest point east in the Orvieto DOC and close to Lago Corbara, the Salviano property is owned by the Incisa della Rocchetta family, owners of legendary Sassicaia. This is a “classic” Orvieto (★★★★ 1/2) exuding freshness, bright lemon-lime citrus, a light body, and a persistent saline note. The Procanico grape feels like it’s driving the bus here. Keep this wine well-stocked as it’s easy to share during the summer months.
Note: Scott Thomas is an official ambassador for Consorzio Vino Orvieto wines, and he traveled to the region to taste their wines and learn from producers so he could extend educational content about their wines through his classes at Grappolo Wine School. Like me, Scott is passionate about Italian wines and is based in Denver, Colorado. We will be collaborating more together in the future.