Italian Wine Regions

Italian wine is known and loved for its diversity of styles. And this is because Italy has 20 wine regions! Let’s go over the top five regions you need to know:

Piedmont

Located in northwest Italy, this region sits at the foot of the western Alps. The climate creates the perfect growing conditions for Nebbiolo, a black grape that is used to produce the region’s most famous wines: Barolo (DOCG) and Barbaresco (DOCG).

Tuscany

Located on the west coast, this region stretches across the rolling countryside inland from the Tyrrhenian Sea. For reds, it’s most famous for Sangiovese-based wines. Many wines are labeled as Toscana IGT because they don’t follow traditional production rules. These wines can be 100% Sangiovese or with blends of international varieties like Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Veneto

Veneto is Rich in beauty, history, and wine. The region offers a breadth of grapes and styles due to their variety of microclimates. It boasts the Alps in the north, Lake Garda in the west, and the Adriatic Sea to the southeast.

Emilia-Romagna

The country’s food capital, and an abundant wine producer. The region is best known for Lambrusco, a sparkling red wine. The white grape, Trebbiano,  is another popular grape from the region.

Sicily

The largest island in the Mediterranean. The warm climate and copious amounts of sunshine create the perfect environment for their various, fruity wines.

Italian Wine Grapes

Italian wines are unique, and that’s because there are over 500 grape varieties in the Italian regions. Here are the 10 most common Italian grapes:

For White Wines:

Pinot Grigio

Originated in Burgundy, France, as pinot gris. It now grows extensively in northern Italy.

Glera

A white wine grape variety most famous for its use in prosecco, the sparkling white wine that is Italy’s answer to Champagne.

Trebbiano

A productive grape that produces crisp, light white wines. 

Moscato Bianco

The Italian name for the variety is known in France as muscat blanc à petits grains, a light, sweet white wine grape. 

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is a French grape that spread throughout Italy in the 1980s, popular for its use in sparkling wine.

For Red Wines:

Merlot

Although not an Italian grape, French Merlot is the country’s third most popular variety. It grows in 14 of Italy’s 20 wine regions, though the Merlot grown in northern Italy is considered the best. 

Corvina

A fruity red wine variety is grown in northeast Italy. Here it produces both barrel-aged reds and Amarone Della Valpolicella, which is made from dried grapes. 

Primitivo

Primitivo is the Italian name for zinfandel. In Italy, it’s mostly grown in Puglia and can be sold under the name Primitivo or Zinfandel.

Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon was introduced to the Piedmont region during the early nineteenth century. It now grows primarily in Tuscany.

Syrah

A relatively recent addition to the Italian wine scene. The French red wine grape gained popularity starting in the 1990s, especially in southern Tuscany. 

Are you ready to discover Italian wines for yourself? The easiest way to start is to get hold of a simple Italian wine and enjoy it along with with a meal.