Today’s Italian wine is the result of a history dating back 4000 years to the ancient Romans.  Italy produces a tremendous amount of wine each year, with vines growing in all 20 regions.  Italian wines give true meaning to the words “food and wine”.  Italy’s most notable regions for red wines are Piedmont and Tuscany and for white wines Friuli-Venezia Giulia.  Although we will discuss these three regions, it is worth noting that there are hundreds of grape varietals grown throughout Italy.

Piedmont, located in the Northwest part of Italy.  The region is known for full bodied reds produced around the towns of Barolo and Barbaresco, which consist of 100% Nebbiolo grape.  The towns of Asti and Alba produce lighter reds made from the Barbera and Dolcetto grapes and are partly responsible for giving the “food and wine” reputation to Italian wines.  In addition to reds, the town of Gavi is known for producing high quality white wine made from the Cortese grape.

Tuscany is located in Central Italy and is home to the Sangiovese grape.  The most notable districts in Tuscany are Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti.  Wine from Brunello di Montalcino is of the highest quality and often commands a hefty price.  They can be enjoyed at release or held for longer periods of time.  Brunello is the local name for the Sangiovese grape.  The best known Italian red wine comes from the Chianti district, with the highest quality wines coming from the Chianti Classico sub-district.  A wine from Chianti that is aged for five years prior to release garners the status of Riserva.  Wines that do not conform to the rules for making Chianti are called Super-Tuscan and often provide good value for the price.

In addition to red wine, Italy is also known for its white wine.  Most notable is the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia which produces quality Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Tocai Friulano which is a grape that is local to the region.