Favorita: the crisp white grape of Piedmont's alpine foothills

Where Favorita comes from and what makes it Piedmontese

Favorita is a white grape native to Piedmont in northwest Italy, grown primarily in the Langhe and Roero zones on the left bank of the Tanaro river. It is believed to be genetically identical to Vermentino, the variety found along the Ligurian coast and in Sardinia, though centuries of cultivation in the Piedmontese hills have shaped a local character that growers treat as distinct. The grape ripens relatively early and does well on the sandy, calcareous soils of the Roero, where it tends to produce wines that are light-bodied, dry, and noticeably aromatic. Because Piedmont is so closely associated with its red varieties — Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto — Favorita occupies a quieter corner of the region's identity, which is part of what makes it interesting to seek out. Producers who grow it tend to do so because they value it on its own terms, not because it commands the prices of a Nebbiolo or a Barbera. You will find it listed under the Langhe Favorita DOC, occasionally as a varietal Roero white, and sometimes blended into broader Piedmont whites.

How Favorita tastes, and what to drink it with

Wines made from Favorita are typically pale straw in colour, with pronounced floral and citrus aromas — think white flowers, peach skin, and a faint almond note that is characteristic of many Piedmontese whites. The palate is dry, with moderate acidity and a light to medium body; it does not have the texture of a barrel-fermented Chardonnay or the weight of a Viognier, but that is precisely the point. It is a wine made for the table rather than for solo drinking. In Piedmont it traditionally partners the local antipasto culture — salumi, fresh cheeses, anchovy-dressed vegetables — and it works well with fish, shellfish, and lighter pasta dishes. Its low tannin and moderate alcohol make it a practical choice when you want a white that does not compete with delicate flavours. If you are exploring the breadth of Italian white grapes beyond Pinot Grigio and Vermentino, Favorita is a useful and often surprising step sideways.

Buying Favorita direct from independent producers in Piedmont

Because Favorita is a niche variety even within Piedmont, it rarely reaches specialist retailers outside Italy, let alone supermarket shelves. Most of the bottles that exist are made in small quantities by family estates that also grow Nebbiolo for Barolo or Barbaresco, with Favorita filling a practical role as the house white. That distribution reality is one reason buying directly from the producer makes particular sense here. On Free Grape Society, producers ship directly from their own cellar, with no importer or warehouse in between, which means a Favorita that would otherwise never leave the Langhe can reach you at the same price the winery charges at the cellar door. The Piedmont wineries page gives you a view of the independent estates working in the region, and the Piedmont wines page shows what they make across all varieties. Free Grape Society is a society of producers, independent experts and wine lovers, not a shop — joining means access to wines that the conventional import and distribution system simply does not carry.