Forty-eight Italian white wines put to the test, only one at the top, for less than ten euros. The Altroconsumo comparative test has produced a ranking that disproves those who think that quality always comes at a high price: the best wine of the entire selection is the Zavalloni Romagna Albana Secco Docg 2024, a white Romagna from 100% Albana grapes that does not exceed 10 euros and which wins, in addition to first place overall, also the title of best purchase of the test.
The absolute best: Zavalloni Romagna Albana Secco Docg 2024
The tasters’ judgment was clear: the best of the test, as well as the best purchase, is the Zavalloni Romagna Albana Secco Docg 2024, which scores 86 points and costs 9 euros. The strong points: intense and complex aroma, with notes of rose, honey, citrus fruits, banana and vanilla, good body and sulphite content equal to just over a third of the legal limit for white wines. The wine matures for four months in steel on its yeasts after fermentation, bearing the Romagna Albana Docg denomination – which includes at least 95% Albana grapes and cultivation in specific municipalities in the provinces of Forlì-Cesena, Ravenna and Bologna. Alcohol content: 14% vol.
The best in organic: Antonelli San Marco Montefalco Grechetto Doc 2024
In the organic category, the primacy goes to the Antonelli San Marco Montefalco Grechetto Doc 2024, which scores 70 points and is sold for 9 euros, produced from 100% Grechetto grapes in the Montefalco area, in the province of Perugia. Here too, the sulphites are well below the limits set for organic products, and upon tasting the commission appreciated the structure, persistence and olfactory profile – citrus, apple, aromatic herbs, vanilla – defining it as “rather full-bodied”. Alcohol content: 13.5% vol.
Which one to choose
The two wines are not interchangeable: Zavalloni is more aromatic and structured, suitable for those looking for a white with character; Antonelli’s Grechetto is the choice for those who favor the organic supply chain without sacrificing quality. Both are suitable for an aperitif as well as for pairing at the table.
The complete ranking
This is the ranking of the 48 white wines analyzed by Altroconsumo:
How the test was conducted
The ranking is based on two criteria:
The products were purchased between June and July 2025, analyzed in July and prices recorded in August 2025.
Sulphites under the lens
The chemical parameter measured is total sulfur dioxide, an additive used in winemaking for its antiseptic and antioxidant properties. The law sets the maximum limit at 200 mg/L for conventional white and rosé wines, lowered to 150 mg/L for organic ones. The European Union classifies sulphites among allergenic substances and the presence must be declared on the label when it exceeds 10 mg per liter, because it can cause adverse reactions – hives and asthma attacks – especially in people who are asthmatic or intolerant to aspirin.
The tasting
The 24 judges evaluated each wine by examining eight parameters: color intensity, aroma intensity, floral, fruity, vegetal and spicy scents, body and aromatic persistence. The latter measures the time – generally between 5 and 15 seconds – that passes from swallowing to the disappearance of the aromas perceived retronasally.
