The Greco Bianco grape variety, like all grape varieties that contain the word “Greco” or references to it in their name, originates from the Hellenic peninsula. In their migrations to Italy, Greek settlers brought many vine cuttings and seeds with them, which gave rise to numerous grape varieties in central and southern Italy, all sharing the “Greco” root. In the Calabrian version of Greco, “bianco” does not refer to the color but to the namesake town located on the Ionian coast of Calabria. In the National Registry of Grape Varieties, “Greco bianco B.” is distinct from “Greco B.” and refers solely to the variety grown in Calabria. In some regulations, “Greco Bianco” is used to refer to the Greco grape found in Campania and other regions of central Italy.

Greco Bianco is cultivated in various municipalities in the provinces of Catanzaro and Reggio di Calabria, and its grapes are used to produce both varietal wines (Greco Bianco DOC) and blends with other grape varieties. The Greco Bianco grape plays an important role in Cirò Bianco DOC (at least 90%), Greco di Lamezia DOC (85%), and an unusual passito wine, Greco di Bianco DOC, whose production area is limited to the town of Bianco and part of the municipality of Casignana in the province of Reggio di Calabria. The Greco Bianco grapes are dried before pressing, and the resulting wine has a minimum alcohol content of 14% and 17% total and shows a remarkable predisposition for aging.