Italy is still the world’s biggest wine supplier and one of the earliest wine-making states, famous for wines such as Prosecco and Chianti.
All of the regions produce wine, from the north to the south. The atmosphere and location are ideal for grape cultivation, with approximately 600 distinct types – more than Greece, Spain, and France combined.
Although Italy produces outstanding wine from international grapes, classic red wines like Chianti or Barolo, and white wines, including Verdicchio, are among them.
The most loved Italian Wines
Aglianico
Aglianico, as though its Italian stablemate Nebbiolo, does not reach its peak until it is about ten years old. Italy’s full-bodied red wine.
While Aglianico is grown in several southern Italian areas, it is the emphasis of only two: Campania and Basilicata. There are three producing zones with the maximum output within these locations. Each location produces a distinct character of the wine, yet the volcanic soils unite them all.
Barolo
Barolo is an Italian red wine, the jewel in the crown of the Piedmont area, created from Nebbiolo, a small, thin-skinned red grape variety with solid acid and tannin levels. In Piedmont, Nebbiolo is among the first varieties to blossom, one of the latest to be harvested, with yield typically occurring in late October.
Barolo is an imposing wine with a garnet red colour with orange highlights, while the nose is intense and persistent, with an exceptionally complex bouquet of fruity and floral notes.
On the palate, the acidity, tannins and salts are pleasantly balanced and notable for their intensity and persistence, making Barolo a bold, elegant wine with great personality.
As per DOCG standards, the wines must be matured for at least two years in wood and one year in glass, with a minimum alcohol level of 13 percent and an age limit of five years (three in oak).
Chianti
Chianti wine is created in the Chianti region and made primarily from Sangiovese grapes. In most cases, winemakers apply only Sangiovese, but in vintages, local grapes like Canaiolo and Colorino are used in the mix when the balance is required.
It’s th king of Italian wines, famous and award-winning worldwide, whose Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita became independent in 1996 and is recognisable by the “Black Rooster” symbol that identifies the Chianti Classico Consortium.
Younger Chiantis have red fruit tastes, including red currant, raspberry, or plum. Chianti is moderate and rich in polyphenols and acidity, making this a good match for food, for example meat menu.
Prosecco
It’s always the right time to drink sparkling wines, so go for Italy’s famed Prosecco DOC, which delivers lots of delicious fruit and fizz – a mixture that makes it a daily treat.
Famous all over the world, Prosecco is undoubtedly the most exported and requested Italian wine. Initially created as IGT (Typical Geographical Indication), it was awarded DOC (Controlled Designation of Origin) status in 2009, while the existing DOCs became DOCG (Controlled and Guaranteed Designation of Origin).
The flavor, freshness, and price have earned Prosecco a household brand in recent years.
Primitivo
Most Italian Primitivo wines originate from Puglia, the heel of Italy’s boot. Known as Zinfandel in California, it is one of the most important grape varieties in southern Italy.
The evolution of wine-making in Puglia is inextricably linked to the spread of Hellenic culture. Puglia was an essential region of Magna Graecia and home to several Greek colonies. Taranto, built by the Spartans in the eighth century BC, became the Greek colonies’ political, cultural, and commercial center.
It’s famous for an intense and deep ruby color and the scent is of red fruits and floral notes.
Verdicchio
Verdicchio is a white wine grape that has already been grown since ancient times in middle Italy’s Marche region. It is widely regarded by experts as one of Italy’s most significant white wine grape types and can be produced in vineyards throughout the nation.
Regarding Verdicchio wines, Marche has two DOC designations: Verdicchio Dei Castelli di Jesi and Verdicchio di Matelica. The grapes can also be found in several Marche blended wines, commonly with Malvasia and Trebbiano. However, these wines are often lighter and more robust than their varietal equivalents.
