TOP FIVE ITALIAN WINES
Italy is a land well known for its bewildering diversity of wine styles and grape varieties. It holds to its rich history of wine production with diverse wine heritage dating more than twenty decades ago. With more than 2000 grape varieties available, Italy is famous for producing significant sheer volumes of different wine.
For easier management and marketing, the government system of wine classification and labeling was introduced. It uses four-tier quality hierarchy made up of more than 500 titles from, DOC (Dominazione di Origine Controlata), DOCG (Dominazione di Origine Controlata Garantita) and IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica).
Around 20 regions produce wines of different levels and quantities, whereby each region has its own flagship wine style. This makes some regions to emerge famous because of their quality, others because they produce large volumes of wines that are available worldwide.
When quality and quantity are put into consideration, the most significant regions are Tuscary region, Piedmont’s region and Veneto’s Region. Their best wines, according to the famous online wine store vini e capricci are;
- Brunello di Montalciano wine
This is one of the best wines produced in Tuscary region. The word Brunello means ‘the little dark one’. This is one of the Italy’s most prestigious and most famous wines and it is always on the top spot. Brunello wine is exclusively made from Sanglovese grapes grown on the Montalcino slopes.
This unique wine of novelty which is fruitier and livelier was first vinified by Biondi Santi in 14th century. His name still appears on this brand. The taste behind this wonderful wine is based on the secret of aging it in wooden barrier, sometimes even more than a decade. In 1980, it was formalized as Italy’s first DOCG.
Image/Paolo Neo
- Vino Nobiledi Montepulciano
This is one of the Italy’s classic red wines. Produced in Tuscary region, this brand has beyond reasonable doubt helped Tuscary retain its world reputation as the most privileged place in the world.
It is made from Sangiovese variety of grapes whereby a composition of 60-80% of the grape is retained in the final wine. It was first produced in 15th century; it highly gained popularity in 16th century when Pope Paul III talked of its excellent qualities. Francesco Redi wrote a poem about it, “Bacco in Toscana” (Bacchus in Tuscary) describing it as ‘the king of all wines’.
Due to its fine and noble stature, it was recognized by DOC regulations in 1960s and received further dues after being awarded DOCG classification in 1980.
- Barolo wine
It is produced in northwest Italy region of Piedmont’s. It is so revered that it was one of the best three wines (with Brunello and Vino Nobile) to be awarded DOCG classification status of the day. This was due to its fragrance. It is exclusively made from the regions Nebbiolo grapes.
- Barbaresio wine
This is a product of Piedmonts region, historically, it was called Nebbiolo Barbaresio. It is still one of the best, great wines vinified into a dry style. This wine is very much in demand during the Christmas period, where you can find it in Christmas hampers together with other famous cheeses and delicacies.
- Amarone della Valpoliceua
The best wine in Veneto’s region. It is arguably the most prestigious wine in the region. It is a red wine made from dried (passito) grapes and it is intensely flavored.
Author: Elena Thora
