Italy offers the perfect red wine for every occasion—from pizza on Monday to roast beef with the in-laws on Sunday or that special occasion when you want to impress.
Many of Italy's best red wines are labelled with the name of the wine appellation, often combined with the grape variety. If you've ever felt wholly overwhelmed while browsing an Italian wine section, knowing just a few key wine names will help keep your shopping trip focused and ensure that you have the perfect wine to drink at a moment's notice.
Here's our quick guide:
1. Amarone
Amarone is a beautiful dry red wine made with dried grapes in Italy's Veneto region. Made from native Italian grapes, Amarone is a wine that dazzles and impresses. Aged in wooden barrels for at least 3 years and then let to age a further year or more in the bottle, they typically offer a smooth velvety texture in the mouth with a lengthy finish and hints of ripe red fruit jam, cocoa, cherry and vanilla notes. One of the best we have ever tasted is the Stefano Accordini 2019 Classico and the amazing Stefano Accordini Vignetto Il Fornetto Riserva - 2016. Both are excellent as a gift for someone special.
2. Barolo & Barbaresco
Piedmont's Barolo is undoubtedly the king of Italian red wines. Made from Nebbiolo, the wines of this small appellation in Italy's northwest are among the most ageable. Whether it is saved for next year, five years, ten, or twenty years, this is one Italian red that showcases the benefits of aging wine.
Also, a Piedmont wine made with Nebbiolo, Barbaresco is the queen of Barolo's' king. Renowned for finesse and perfume, the wines of Barbaresco are among Italy's best.
3. Barbera d'Asti' and Barbera d'Alba
The Italian red grape Barbera makes delicious wines with bright acidity and soft tannin. Hailing from Piedmont, these delightful red wines feature cherry and red berry notes and are definite crowd-pleasers.
Barbera d’Asti is the term used to describe wine from the Asti province of Piedmont which has its own DOCG designation. Our favourite is the Antinori Prunotto 'Fiulot' Barbera d’Asti
Barbera d’Alba is produced in the region around the town of Alba and has a DOC designation. This Barbera tends to have a darker colour, fuller body, and more intense and tangy fruit flavours when compared to Barbera d'Asti. The Beni di Batasiolo Sovrana Barbera d’Alba DOC 2020 is a wonderful example.
All Barbera wines are made from predominantly Barbera grapes, which are typically grown on the lower slopes. Barbera can be enjoyed young or old, with younger wines offering higher acidity and more pronounced fruit. Many winemakers prefer aging Barbera in small oak barrels to both soften the acidity and to add a slight hint of oak spice. Either way, Barbera is a wine that offers aromas of violet, lavender, incense, vanilla, and nutmeg on the nose, with bold flavors of red fruit (cherry, raspberry, strawberry) and black fruit (plum, blackberry).
4. Brunello
Brunello di Montalcino is the king of wines made with Sangiovese. This Tuscan red wine comes from the local name for Sangiovese (Brunello) and are produced in Montalcino, a small medieval hill town overlooking the Tuscan countryside. These are complex wines often with aromas of dark berry, oak, and hints of chocolate. Aged in wooden barrels for 2 to 5 years and a further 8 months in the bottle, they have incredible aging potential. A stand-out is the 'La Palazzetta' Brunello di Montalcino 2016 Riserva. An essential addition to any wine cellar!
5. Chiantiis primarily produced from the Sangiovese grape, but there are several distinct varieties.
While all Chianti is made of at least 70% Sangiovese, some winemakers in the Tuscany region enjoy innovating and creating wonderful blends of the traditional Sangiovese grape with Cabernet, Syrah, Merlot or Trebbiano. The result is a range of good value wines with a complexity of flavours to enjoy while unwinding at home with your usual meal or for a casual dinner with friends.
6. Chianti Classico.A premium Chianti from the Classico region made with at least 80% Sangiovese grapes and aged for at least 10 months. The bottle features a famous black rooster seal.
Classico refers to this iconic Italian red wine's classic, historic growing area in the Tuscany region. Produced with slightly stricter regulations than standard Chianti, these wines pair easily with a multitude of hearty meals. Definitely a good idea to have some of these on-hand in your cellar. Our Tenute Rossetti Chianti Classico is a wonderful example of an award winning Chianti Classico.
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione is made exclusively from a winery's own grapes grown according to stricter regulations compared to Chianti Classico. Gran Selezione is granted to a Chianti Classico after it passes a suitability test conducted by authorised laboratories, and after it is approved by a special tasting committee.
The Isole e Olena Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2013 is the best example we have found. This Gran Selezione is aged for two years in French barriques and a further two years in oak casks prior to bottling.
7. Chianti Classico Riserva.Aged for at least 24 months, Chianti Riserva is very refined and features softened tannins. Have a look at our Terre Natuzzi Chianti Riserva 2017 DOCG.
8. Chianti Superiore.Aged for at least 9 months, Chianti Superiore is produced in provinces of Arezzo, Florence, Pisa, Pistoia, Prato and Siena, in Tuscany using only grapes from outside of the Classico region.
9. Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Produced using the Montepulciano grape in the Abruzzo region (not in the town of Montepulciano in Tuscany) Montepulciano is Abruzzo’s answer to Piedmont’s Barbera. Showcasing juicy, grapey flavours with soft, supple tannin, this is Italy’s quintessential pizza or pasta wine. Great for a casual dinner at home or with friends. Highly recommended are the Coste di Moro Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and the Fantini 'Three Dreamers' Montepulciano d’Abruzzo which has won many international Gold Medals!
10. Vin Rosso, Rosso Toscano and Rosso Italiano
These red blends are for lovers of an excellent blended wine with complex and interesting flavours. Often featuring Negroamaro & Sangiovese for a soft oak and fine tobacco sensation or Montepulciano, Merlot & Cabernet for a well balanced Cabernet sensation, they offer a much more complex and varied taste. Look out for the "Cielo e Terra '3 Passo" and the "Tenute Rossetti Governo All'Uso Toscano Rosso". These wines will always impress.
■ Italy’s white wines are as diverse as the country’s reds ■
With a trove of native varieties, there is an Italian white wine to fit every budget and every occasion. In fact, there are so many choices that shopping for an Italian white wine can be overwhelming.
The range of Italian white wine styles is staggering. From top quality sparklers, to exquisite dry wines and rich dessert wines, Italy fits the bill for every occasion from start to finish.
1. Sparkling, Champagne style wines
Italy’s best sparkling wines are undoubtedly Franciacorta and Trento DOC. There is a popular saying that "Franciacorta is Italian for Champagne", but that could easily be said of Trento DOC.
These high-quality wines are made from Chardonnay using the traditional Champagne method. Trento DOC is the first D.O.C. in Italy devoted exclusively to Metodo Classico.
After the creation of the cuvée (the desired blend), the base wine is bottled and enriched so the second fermentation can begin: the one that creates the perlage (bubbles). The cuvée remains in the bottle virtually undisturbed for between two and ten years, depending on the individual wine. The award winning Ferrari Trento sparkling wines are our pick for Champagne style wines or the Bottega Gold Prosecco for a Prosecco style celebration!
2. Vin Santo
Italy’s dessert wines rank among the most luscious in the world. Most are made with grapes that are dried before fermentation (the appassimento method). The drying technique concentrates grape sugars, creating rich, honeyed wines balanced by natural acidity. Known as “passito wines,” they are primarily a blend of Trebbiano Toscano and Malvasia Bianca. Excellent examples include Tuscany's Isolo e Olena Vin Santo Chianti Classico and Antinori's Vin Santo Del Chianti Classico. A wonderful way to end a meal!
3. Fiano
Fiano is a light white wine that tends to retain its flavours much better than a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. So, while other whites often lose their acidity, Fiano can still retain a beautifully balanced, refreshing sip throughout the length of the meal.
Perfect with vegetarian pasta dishes, as the acidity in the wine offsets the richness of cream-based sauces and complements the acidity of tomato-based recipes.
4. Chardonnay
Chardonnay is the most noble of the white wine grapes, producing more high quality wines than any other white variety. It is an important component of many sparkling wines around the world, including Champagne and Franciacorta in Italy. These wines typically have notes of apple and vanilla with delicate hints of woody character. Look out for the Nottetempo Chardonnay Salento!
5. Grillo
Fruity, slightly aromatic, citrusy, characterised by freshness and lightness. Grillo accompanies a fresh summer meal without intrusion.
6. Pinot Grigio
Classic and crisp, Italian Pinot Grigio is a crowd-pleasing white wine and warm weather staple. This versatile grape can deliver fruity, floral, mineral and even nutty tones. The Kettmeir Pinot Grigio will always impress.
7. Soave
Soave is among the Veneto region’s best known wines and for good reason. Based on the Garganega grape, these wines range from light and fruity to intensely aromatic and richly textured versions.
8. Pecorino
Pecorino grapes are sweet and as such tend to produce quite high alcohol wines with high acidity. You can expect to find flavours of soft fruits, herbs, and florals. Pecorino is generally crisp, light, or medium bodied and tend to age very well. Excellent with BBQ prawns!
9. Gavi
Gavi is a light-bodied wine, but it's not as light as Sauvignon Blanc. The flavour profile of Gavi is also similar to Sauvignon Blanc— Gavi is produced in the Piemonte region using Cortese grapes which are different from many other Italian white grape varieties because they're more robust and tend to have a fuller body than other grapes.
And of course Prosecco anytime! Prosecco is one of the world's most famous sparkling white wines. It's the choice for those everyday celebrations.
10 Best Italian Red Wines and 10 Best Whites:
