This article is excerpted from the "101 Things We Love About Italy" cover story in the April 30, 2022, issue of Wine Spectator.
The call of la dolce vita brings millions of visitors to Italy each year, ready to explore the country’s rich art and history, the thriving wine and food culture, stunning scenery and more. Enjoying Italy is as much about the broad, bucket list items (glimpsing Venice on the horizon as you speed across the lagoon from the airport) as it is the smaller details (enjoying the hustlebustle of Rome’s Campo de’ Fiori with its stacks of fresh produce and flowers).
One of the most important and delicious parts of Italy to discover is its wine, which starts with the many distinctive grape varieties planted throughout the country. Below, our editors spotlight some of their favorites, with details on their ideal food pairings, leading versions and more.
White
Carricante
A high-acidity white variety native to Sicily, Carricante is grown almost exclusively on the slopes of Mount Etna, with marked interest from local producers resulting in a significant uptick in plantings in the past five years.
—Alison Napjus
PAIRINGS:
Fish, Poultry, Cheese
STYLE:
Stainless-steel vinification and aging results in bright and tangy expressions, often showing green apple and crunchy peach fruit. Partial malolactic fermentation and/or oak aging add weight and a creamier range of poached fruit, honey and herb notes. A lemon curd backbone of acidity and a salty mineral tang are common, and with age, the best versions are akin to aged Riesling or Chablis.
DECODING THE LABEL:
Look for the Etna designation (the vast majority of bottlings), while a handful of wines are labeled under the larger Terre Siciliane or Sicilia designations.
TRY:
- Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna White Calderara Sottana Cuvée delle Vigne Niche 2019 (92, $42)
- Planeta Carricante Sicilia Eruzione 1614 2018 (91, $27)
- Tasca d’Almerita Etna White Tenuta Tascante Buonora 2020 (89, $21)
Cortese
The Cortese grape is found in parts of Lombardy and southeast Piedmont, but is primarily associated with the Gavi region of Piedmont. There, it makes crisp wines with flavors of apple, citrus and almond. Its bracing acidity and saline aftertaste make it food-friendly.
—Bruce Sanderson
PAIRINGS:
Fish, Poultry, Green Vegetables
TRY:
- Fontanafredda Gavi del Comune di Gavi 2020 (89, $25)
- Broglia Gavi Il Doge 2020 (88, $16)
- Villa Sparina Gavi 2019 (88, $18)
- La Scolca Gavi White Label 2019 (87, $18)
Fiano
From modern-day Campania, believed to be the variety used to produce Apianum, a wine much-loved by the ancient Romans.
STYLE: Fleshy apricot and peach fruit is underscored by stony minerality and citrusy acidity; richer versions with age or some oak influence are honeyed and creamy.
TRY: San Salvatore Fiano Paestum Trentenare 2019 (90, $30)
Friulano
Formerly known as Tocai Friulano, this is the flagship white of the Friuli–Venezia-Giulia region, home to half of the country’s plantings.
—Kristen Bieler
PAIRINGS:
Fish, Poultry, Green Vegetables
STYLE:
“Lively, herbal and fruity, with a creamy texture,” describes Laura Felluga of Friulano champion Livio Felluga, “distinguished by minerality and hint of almond.” Her perfect pairing: “San Daniele prosciutto along with frico, pan-fried cheese and potato cake, in our rural tradition.”
LABEL DECODER:
Friuli’s top DOC regions are Collio and Colli Orientali del Friuli, which border Slovenia. Look for good value amongst the Fruili Grave and Friuli Isonzo DOCs.
TRY:
- Livio Felluga Friulano Friuli Colli Orientali 2019 (91, $27)
- Poggiobello Friulano Friuli 2019 (90, $25)
- Gradis’Ciutta Friulano Collio 2018 (88, $22)
Garganega
Though few know this grape by name, many are familiar with the white wine it most famously produces: Soave, which hails from volcanic hillsides in the northern Veneto region. This relatively small area (roughly 10,000 acres of vines) has come into its own in the past decade or two, with quality bottlings from a number of producers that offer fresh and often complex whites. The best examples, labeled Classico, offer fresh citrus, honeyed stone fruit and melon, with racy cores of salty minerals.
—K.B.
PAIRINGS:
Fish, Poultry, Green Vegetables
TRY:
- Leonildo Pieropan Soave Classico 2020 (91, $23)
- Suavia Garganega Soave Classico 2020 (90, $18)
- Gini Soave Classico 2020 (89, $24)
Pinot Grigio
Italy’s most widely planted white grape, Pinot Grigio, is a favorite in the United States, where consumers purchased more than 10.5 million cases in 2020, according to Impact Databank. Compared with its French counterpart, Pinot Gris, Italy’s versions are overall crisper, with a more linear focus.
—A.N.
PAIRINGS:
Fish, Poultry, Green Vegetables
REGIONS TO KNOW:
Delle Venezie: The best of these inexpensive wines are light-bodied, with tangy fruit notes.
TRY: Zenato Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie 2020 (85, $15)
Alto Adige: Lithe and racy, showing good stone and citrus fruit expression, along with mineral notes.
TRY: Elena Walch Pinot Grigio Alto Adige 2020 (90, $18)
Friuli–Venezia-Giulia: Mineral-driven, usually with a little bit more body and a tighter-knit structure; top bottlings are cellar-worthy.
TRY: Jermann Pinot Grigio Friuli 2019 (91, $30)
Timorasso
This local variety rivaled Cortese as the most prolific white grape in Piedmont in the 19th century. It fell out of favor due to inconsistent production and because it was difficult to farm. It was all but forgotten until the late 1980s when vintner Walter Massa brought it back from the brink of extinction in the Colli Tortonesi region of Piedmont. Other local producers joined Massa, and in recent years a few well-known Barolo producers have brought even greater attention to the region.
—B.S.
PAIRINGS:
Salumi, Pork, Cheese
STYLE:
Timorasso expressions range from crisp, with floral and citrus aromas, to full-bodied and verging on oily, with petrol, pine, honey and baked apple flavors. Often, they have a saline, mineral element, and with age can be reminiscent of Alsace Riesling, with honey, quince paste, beeswax, lanolin, smoke and stony notes.
TRY:
- La Colombera Timorasso Colli Tortonesi Derthona 2017 (91, $30)
- Vigneti Massa Vino da Tavola-Piedmont Derthona 2017 (90, $35)
- Voerzio Martini Timorasso Colli Tortonesi Derthona 2019 (91, $35)
Trebbiano
This family of white grapes is one of Italy’s most planted. Although historically mass-produced and relegated to undistinguished bottlings, the variety is capable of greatness when grown in the right terroirs and in the hands of thoughtful winemakers.
—K.B.
PAIRINGS:
Fish, Salumi, Green Vegetables
TREBBIANOS TO KNOW:
Trebbiano Spoletino: This up-and-coming Umbria native can show impressive concentration to its floral, citrus and spice flavors.
TRY: Bocale Trebbiano Spoletino Spoleto 2019 (90, $20)
Trebbiano d’Abruzzo: Green apple and zesty grapefruit mark this version indigenous to Abruzzo.
TRY: Masciarelli Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2020 (87, $14)
Trebbiano Toscana: Known as Ugni Blanc in France, the best expressions of this workhorse grape are fresh, zippy and citrus-driven.
TRY: Antinori Toscana White Villa Antinori 2020 (88, $14)
Trebbiano di Lugana: From the small region straddling Lombardy and Veneto, the local alias Turbiana offers bright floral and citrus character.
TRY: Zenato Lugana San Benedetto 2020 (88, $15)
Trebbiano di Soave: Grown primarily in Lombardy and Veneto, this is identical to Verdicchio, with hallmark flavors of peach, honey, melon and bitter almond.
TRY: Suavia Trebbiano Veronese Massifitti 2018 (91, $30)
Vermentino
The signature white grape on the island of Sardinia, Vermentino is also produced along Italy’s western seaboard and in central Italy. The wines are typically slightly fleshy, with a spine of citrusy acidity and a minerally streak of salinity.
—A.N.
PAIRINGS:
Fish, Shellfish, Basil
REGIONS TO KNOW:
Liguria: Colli di Luni, Riviera Ligure di Ponente
Sardinia: Vermentino di Gallura, Vermentino di Sardegna, Isola dei Nuraghi
Tuscany: Bolgheri, Toscana, Maremma Toscana, Colli di Luni
Umbria: Torgiano
Red
Aglianico
This distinctive red is grown throughout southern Italy but is best-known from the Campania and Basilicata regions. Structured by firm tannins, the wines show dark berry and cherry fruit with an herbal overtone. It’s ageable and capable of expressing terroir.
—A.N.
PAIRINGS:
Beef, Rabbit, Mushrooms
REGIONS TO KNOW:
Campania: Taurasi, Aglianico del Taburno, Irpinia
Basilicata: Aglianico del Vulture
Puglia: Castel del Monte
Try:
- Terredora di Paolo Taurasi Fatica Contadina 2013 (92, $35)
- d’Angelo Aglianico del Vulture 2017 (90, $20)
- La Capranera Aglianico Campania 2020 (89, $16)
Barbera
Planted all around Italy, Barbera reaches its peak expression in Piedmont, where it ranges in style from elegant and racy, with pure fruit, to richly textured, dark fruit-flavored offerings wrapped in spicy new oak. Its naturally high acidity and low tannins make it compatible with a range of cuisines (particularly tomato-based sauces), yet oakier styles pair best with grilled or roasted red meats. Often used as a blending grape in Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy, the variety can be compelling on its own, and its attractive prices make it a solid alternative to Piedmont’s pricier, Nebbiolo-based reds.
—B.S.
PAIRINGS:
Poultry, Salumi, Tomato/Sauce
REGIONS TO KNOW:
Emilia-Romagna: Emilia; Gutturnio
Lombardy: Oltrepò Pavese
Piedmont: Nizza; Barbera d’Asti; Barbera d’Alba; Monferrato
Corvina
This red grape is grown almost exclusively across the Valpolicella area of the Veneto region.
—K.B.
PAIRINGS:
Beef, Mushrooms, Pizza
STYLE:
Black cherry, herb and mineral notes are common descriptors for Corvina, but they’re crafted in four different iterations.
Valpolicellas are crisp and fruit-forward.
Superiores, aged for at least a year, have more depth of flavor and medium-bodied weight.
Amarones, made with dried grapes, are full-bodied, traditionally dense and almost Port-like. They’re finding more freshness and equilibrium among modern vintners.
Ripassos, which incorporate partially dried grape skins, are richer and medium- to full-bodied, with plush but dense tannins.
TRY:
- Tedeschi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Capitel Monte Olmi Riserva 2015 (94, $99)
- Bertani Valpolicella Ripasso 2017 (91, $24)
- Allegrini Veronese La Grola 2018 (91, $40)
- Brigaldara Valpolicella 2019 (88, $15)
- Zenato Valpolicella Superiore 2018 (88, $17)
Nebbiolo
Nebbiolo is ideally suited to the limestone, clay and sand of the Langhe area. It is responsible for Barolo and Barbaresco, as well as wines from other Piedmont appellations. As of 2010, 13,674 acres of the variety were planted in Piedmont.
—B.S.
PAIRINGS:
Beef, Mushrooms, Game Birds
REGIONS TO KNOW:
Barolo and Barbaresco: Nebbiolo at its best, with wines capable of aging for decades.
TRY:
- Elvio Cogno Barolo Cascina Nuova 2017 (93, $66)
- Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco 2017 (91, $50)
Gattinara: Focused, minerally Nebbiolos from volcanic soils.
TRY: Antoniolo Gattinara Riserva 2016 (93, $51)
Nebbiolo Langhe: A good introduction to Nebbiolo from reliable producers.
TRY: Sottimano Nebbiolo Langhe 2019 (91, $28)
Nerello Mascalese
A late-ripening variety, Nerello Mascalese is virtually synonymous with Sicily’s Mount Etna, thriving on the variegated volcanic soils in vineyards at elevations rising to about 3,300 feet.
—A.N.
PAIRINGS:
Poultry, Tomato/Sauce, Eggplant
STYLE:
Black and red cherry fruit presents as ripe, dried and/or lightly sour and macerated in these light- to medium-bodied reds framed by taut tannins. Expect a streak of pronounced minerality, which reflects the terroir of a specific site, along with delicate herb, spice and citrus notes.
DECODING THE LABEL:
The wines are almost entirely bottled under the Etna designation (without the grape name on the front label), although some examples are found from the larger Terre Siciliane or Sicilia areas. Look for cru (contrada) versions naming the contrada, such as Feudo di Mezzo.
TRY:
- Vini Franchetti-Passopisciaro Terre Siciliane Contrada P 2019 (94, $90)
- Idda Etna 2019 (92, $54)
- Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Feudo di Mezzo Il Quadro delle Rose Vecchie Vigne 2019 (92, $54)
- Nicosia Etna Lenza di Munti 2018 (88, $15)
Nero D’Avola
This is the king of grapes in Sicily, where more than 97% of the world’s plantings of it reside, totaling roughly a fifth of the island’s vineyards.
—A.N.
PAIRINGS:
Beef, Lamb, Tomato/Sauce
STYLE:
From round and easy-drinking to bright and elegant. Nero d’Avola wines can be cellar-worthy, depending on local conditions and winemaking techniques, which may include oak. Either way, expect black cherry and plum fruit, with herbal overtones, good acidity and round but dense tannins.
LOOK FOR:
Single-variety versions from the Terre Siciliane and Sicilia appellations. When blended, high quality examples emerge from Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Noto, Contea di Sclafani and Contessa Entellina.
TRY:
- Tasca d’Almerita Nero d’Avola-Perricone Contea di Sclafani Tenuta Regaleali Rosso del Conte 2016 (91, $70)
- Planeta Cerasuolo di Vittoria 2019 (90, $25)
- Rapitalà Nero d’Avola Sicilia Campo Reale 2018 (88, $14)
Sagrantino
Grown almost exclusively in and around the tiny, hilltop town of Montefalco, in Umbria, for centuries.
STYLE: Highly tannic and deeply-hued red, with dense, robust structure wrapped in dark berry and cherry fruit and abundant herb character.
TRY: Arnaldo Caprai Montefalco Sagrantino Collepiano 2016 (93, $50)
Sangiovese
The most widely planted grape in Italy, Sangiovese represents about 10% of the country’s vineyards. Though synonymous with Tuscany, it is grown throughout the country from north to south. In Tuscany, Sangiovese is the base for wines such as Chianti Classico, Chianti, Montepulciano and Montalcino, representing a minimum of 70% to 100% of the cuvée. It’s often blended with Bordeaux varieties in super Tuscans, yet it sometimes stands on its own.
—B.S.
PAIRINGS:
Beef, Pork, Tomato/Sauce
REGIONS TO KNOW:
Montalcino: Delivers pure expressions of Sangiovese; full-bodied, with rich tannins.
TRY: Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino 2016 (96, $49)
Emilia-Romagna: Sangiovese with aromas and flavors similar to its Tuscan cousins—cherry, plum and wild herbs—in a lighter, sometimes rustic style that rarely exceeds medium-bodied.
TRY: Umberto Cesari Sangiovese Romagna Riserva 2017 (89, $22)
Chianti Classico: The most vibrant and sometimes austere expression of Sangiovese, offering up cherry and strawberry fruit flavors.
TRY: Castellare di Castellina Chianti Classico 2019 (92, $25)
