About Italian Wines

Italian wines tend to be high in acidity. This is because wine with a strong acidity tends to pair better with food.

No surprise then that the food-oriented cultures of Italy have opted for wine that compliments their amazing dedication to cuisine. This means white wines tend to be crisp and red wines tend to be firm.

Among expert wine tasters, one of the overriding characteristics of Italian wine is the touch of the land that one can smell and taste in every bottle. The nose might detect hints of mushrooms, soil, minerals or grass. These qualities are commonly referred to as an earthiness that prevents the wine from competing with food.

Medium Body

Though there are some excellent heavier Italian wines (such as Barolo), the majority are more medium bodied in nature. Again, more suitable to the wide array of food dishes that perform better when not overwhelmed by a heavier beverage.

Distinctly Italian Grapes

While Italy does grow most of the grapes found throughout the world, it also has many local varieties that are only grown in their respective regions. Nebbiolo, for example, is the grape used to make Barolo and is only found in Piedmont and Lombardy.

Because the Italian climate is perfect for grape growing, many varieties have evolved over thousands of years to respond specifically to one region. As such, it is extraordinarily difficult to try and transplant them to different countries.

Major Red Grapes

There are over twenty major types of red grape varieties in Italy, but we can start with what are arguably the most important three:

Sangiovese (san joe VAE sae) - Planted throughout the country, particularly in Tuscany and Umbria, this is the major grape of Chianti and the popular Super-Tuscan wines. Medium in body, the grape typically carries strong tannin, high acidity and flavors of herbs and cherries.

Nebbiolo(nehb be OH loh) - Specific to the Piedmont region, this grape makes two of Italy's most notorious wines: Barolo and Barbaresco. These wines are a shoe-in for anyone building a cellar because they age particularly well. The grape is full-bodied with high acidity and strong tannin, providing flavors of strawberries, mushrooms and truffles.

Barbera (bar BAE rah) - This grape runs neck and neck with Sangiovese as the most planted in the country. It is a lighter grape with little tannin and high acidity. The fruit flavors tend to be more pronounced than in other varieties and as such it is an excellent summer red and great on its own.

Other Important Italian Whites

Pinot Grigio(pee noh GREE joe) - The Italian version of Pinot Gris, this white grape has won widespread acclaim all over the world. Though not as rich as its French counter-part, it carries flavors of peach with a high-acid, minerally quality.

Trebbiano (treb bee AH noh) - Though undeniably common in Italy, it has also suffered from casual growing habits. It is primarily known for producing inexpensive whites that are crisp and bland. It is a wine that at best pairs well with food, particularly shell-fish, and rarely can be enjoyed on its own.

Verdicchio and Vernaccia - These Italian wines have some of the same body, crispness and acidity as Trebbino, but with a bit more spunk. Richer flavors and aromas including hints of lemon and sea air are common. They are typically un-oaked.

One could spend a lifetime learning all there is to know about the dozens of grape varieties grown in Italy, particularly when you explore how they are best paired with foods from their respective regions.

Having a familiarity with the major grapes listed above will form a firm foundation for discovering the distinctive personalities of Italian wines!

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Here's an article by Stephen Rhodes specifically about the wines of Tuscany. He is a well known expert in the field.

Italy produces more wine than any other country in the world, and some of the finest varieties hail from the Tuscany region. Wine has been produced in Tuscany for hundreds and hundreds of years.

In recent decades Tuscan winemakers have put great effort into the quality of their products, resulting in the excellent Tuscany wine on the market today. Tuscany wine is enjoyed widely and is easy to find in restaurants and diners as well as stores.

Super Tuscan Wine

In the past few decades an unofficial category of Tuscany wine has arisen, given the name Super Tuscan. Wines created by making unconventional blends of different grape varieties fall under the Super Tuscan category.

Tuscany Wine Zones

Tuscany is divided into several wine zones. Three of the most important of these are Bolgheri, Chianti Classico and Montalcino.

Bolgheri Tuscany Wine

The Bolgheri zone, located in the west of Tuscany, is the birthplace of Sassacaia and Tignanello, which began the Super-Tuscan trend. In recent decades Bolgheri wine has received much attention for the quality of its wines.

Winemakers in the Bolgheri zone specialize in red Tuscany wine created by blending the grapes of Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese, Syrah, Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. Several different wines are produced using different combinations of these grapes.

Chianti Classico

What more classic image of Tuscany wine is there than the straw basket covered bottle of Chianti resting on a checkered tablecloth in a cozy Italian restaurant? The Chianti Classico zone lies in central Tuscany.

Red Sangiovese grapes are the primary ingredient of these Italian wines, but they are generally blended with other grapes, such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Canaiolo.

Chianti Classico is a full-bodied, bold wine that makes a good complement to well-seasoned food. Chianti Classico wine has come a long way from its inexpensive, straw bottled past and today there are some excellent Italian wines produced in the region. You can still get the straw basket variety if you choose, however.

Montalcino Tuscany Wine

The Montalcino zone is located in the Siena area of Tuscany. Montalcino is known for producing the Brunello di Montalcino variety of Tuscany wine. Brunello di Montalcino is a red wine made from the Sangiovese grape and normally aged for at least four years, two in oak barrels. Brunello di Montalcino goes well with steak, roasts and flavorful cheeses.

More Tuscany Wine

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is a robust red wine that is also based on the Sangiovese grape and is similar to Brunello di Montalcino. Trebbiano is a traditional white Tuscany wine. Bianco di Pitigliano is produced in the southern Tuscan region of Pitigliano, and is a popular white Tuscany wine. Vernaccia di San Gimignano, made near Siena, is one of the best known Tuscany white wines.

By: Stephen Rhodes

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