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Wine Information

Italian Grape Varieties

Italian Red Grapes
- Sangiovese
  - The most well known of the Italian grapes and responsible for the famous Tuscan wines. Using tradional techniques, the wines are earthy, full of cherry fruit and cedar. The wines produced include such famous names as: Chianti, Rosso di Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montepulciano, Montefalco Rosso. The 'Super-Tuscans', produced for the international market, blend the Sangiovese grape with Bordeaux varietals such as: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and often used French oak barrels to age.
- Nebbiolo
  - Translated, the name means: 'Little Fog', which refers to the autumn fog common in the region of Piedmont where it is grown. The grape seems to like these conditions but is difficult to cultivate otherwise. It is responsible for the famous wines of Barolo and Barbaresco, both produced in the Cuneo province of Piedmont. Barolo is often kept for more than 50 years, and is considered by many to be the greatest wine produced in Italy.
- Montepulciano
  - This grape is planted in Abruzzo,and should not be confused with the town of the same name in Tuscany. It produces a wine with silky plum-like fruit, friendly acidity, and light tannin, recent bottles have improved greatly on those in the past.
- Barbera
  - This grape is the most widely grown in Piedmont and southern Lombardy, particularly around the towns of Asti, Alba and Pavia. Previously, the Barbera wines were considered a poor alternative to Barolo, but recently they have improved dramatically. The wine has bright cherry fruit, a very dark color, and a food-friendly acidity. It is being produced increasingly for the international market.
- Corvina
  - This is the grape that makes Valpolicella and Amarone, the best known wines of the Veneto. Valpolicella has dark cherry fruit and spice. If the grapes are dried, a process called 'passito', they produce a wine called Amarone. Some are aged for more than 40 years and can command extremely high prices. Amarone di Valpolicella was awarded DOCG status in 2009.
- Nero d'Avola
  - A native varietal of Sicily, this grape was virtually unheard of a few years ago. Now, the quality of the wine is improving steadily and it is becoming increasingly popular on the international market for its plummy fruit and sweet tannins.
- Dolcetto
  - This grape is called 'Little Sweet One', because it is easy to grow and produces great wines for everyday drinking. It is grown alongside the Barbera and Nebbiola grapes in Piedmont and produces wine with flavors of concord grape, wild blackberries and herbs.
- Negroamaro
  - Translated, the name means 'Black and Bitter'. It is grown extensively in the region of Puglia where it is used to produce the Salento wines: spicy, toasty, and full of dark red fruits.
- Aglianico
  - Considered by many to be the 'Noble Varietal of the south' Aglianico grapes are primarily grown in the regions of Campania and Basilicata. The name is derived from Hellenic, so the grape is considered to be a Greek transplant. Thick skinned and spicy, the wines are often both rustic and powerful.
- Sagrantino
  - This grape is native to Umbria. It is only planted on 250 hectares, but the wines produced from it are world-renowned. Inky purple, with rustic brooding fruit and heavy tannins, these wines can age for many years.
- Malvasia Nera
  - Red Malvasia varietal from Piedmont. A sweet and perfumed wine, sometimes elaborated in the passito style.

Other major red varieties are Ciliegolo, Gaglioppo, Lagrein, Lambrusco, Monica, Nerello Mascalese, Pignolo, Primitivo (Zinfandel in California), Refosco, Schiava, Schiopettino, Teroldego, and Uva di Troia.

'International' varietals such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc are also widely grown.

Italian White Grapes
- Catarratto
  - This is the most widely planted white varietal in Salaparuta, south western Sicily.
- Trebbiano
  - This is the most widely planted white varietal in Italy. It is grown throughout the country, with a special focus on the wines from Abruzzo and from Lazio, including Frascati. Mostly, they are pale, easy drinking wines, but trebbiano from producers such as Valentini have been known to age for 15+ years. It is known as Ugni Blanc in France.
- Moscato
  - Grown mainly in Piedmont, it is mainly used in the slightly-sparkling (frizzante), semi-sweet Moscato d'Asti. Not to be confused with moscato giallo and moscato rosa, two Germanic varietals that are grown in Trentino- Alto-Adige.
- Nuragus
  - An ancient Phoenician varietal found in southern Sardegna. Light and tart wines that are drunk as an apertif in their homeland.
- Pinot Grigio
  - A hugely successful commercial grape (known as Pinot Gris in France), its wines are characterized by crispness and cleanness. As a hugely mass-produced wine, it is usually delicate and mild, but in a good producers' hands, the wine can grow more full-bodied and complex. The main problem with the grape is that to satisfy the commercial demand, the grapes are harvested too early every year, leading to wines without character.
- Tocai Friulano
  - A varietal distantly related to Sauvignon Blanc, it yields the top wine of Friuli, full of peachiness and minerality. Currently, there is a bit of controversy regarding the name, as the EC has demanded it changed to avoid confusion with the Tokay dessert wine from Hungary.
- Ribolla Gialla
  - A Slovenian grape that now makes its home in Friuli, these wines are decidedly old-world, with aromas of pineapple and mustiness.
- Arneis
  - A crisp and floral varietal from Piedmont, which has been grown there since the 15th century.
- Malvasia Bianca
  - Another white varietal that peeks up in all corners of Italy with a wide variety of clones and mutations. Can range from easy quaffers to funky, musty whites.
- Pigato
  - A heavily acidic varietal from Liguria, the wines are vinified to pair with a cuisine rich in seafood.
- Fiano
  - Grown on the southwest coast of Italy, the wines from this grape can be described as dewy and herbal, often with notes of pinenut and pesto.
- Garganega
  - The main grape varietal for wines labeled Soave, this is a crisp, dry white wine from the Veneto wine region of Italy. It's a very popular wine that hails from northeast Italy around the city of Verona. Currently, there are over 3,500 distinct producers of Soave.
- Vermentino
  - This is widely planted in northern Sardinia and also found in Tuscan and Ligurian coastal districts. Wines are particularly popular to accompany fish and seafood.
- Verdicchio
  - This is grown in the areas of Castelli di Jesi and Matelica in the Marche region and gives its name to the varietal white wine made from it. The name comes from "verde" (green). The white wines are noted for their high acidity and a characteristic nutty flavour with a hint of honey.

Other important whites include Carricante, Catarratto, Coda de Volpe, Cortese, Falanghina, Grechetto, Grillo, Inzolia, Picolit, Traminer, Verduzzo, and Vernaccia.

As far as non-native varietals, the Italians plant Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer (sometimes called traminer aromatico), Riesling, Petite Arvine, and many others.

Wine Details

Hand painted ceramic wine jugs

Italian Wine

Over the centuries the Greeks, Etruscans and Romans all played a significant role in the development of wine production in Italy. They established the best way of growing vines. They developed techniques of wine production and of wine storage. From those early beginnings, Italy has now become one of the top two leading wine producers in the world, vying with France for the title year on year. Italian wine is the most widely exported in the world but, at the same time, Italy also consumes the most wine of any country in the world.

Several factors have contributed to the success of Italian wines. The climate obviously plays a significant part, with plenty of sunshine together with cooler mountain air and sea breezes providing ideal vine-growing conditions. The terrain is also important, with the coastal foothills, the northern plains and the mountainous regions of the Alps and the Apennines providing the variety of conditions that result in the unique styles of wine for which Italy is famous.

The Italian DOCG classification stands for 'Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita'. This is the highest classification for wine quality in Italy and signifies that the wine is not only controlled but that the quality is also guaranteed. The next level is DOC, meaning 'Denominazione di Origine Controllata'. This is equivalent to the French AOC level and imposes restrictions on the use of grape varieties, permitted yields, alcohol levels, ageing specifications and processing techniques. The last level is IGT, meaning 'Indicazione Geografica Tipica'. This category was established to accommodate those wines which use different grape varieties than those specified for DOCG and DOC qualification.

With more than 2,400 different styles, Italy offers the largest and most diverse array of wines in the world including at least 300 DOCs and DOCGs. If IGTs are included, there are more than 500.

More than 2000 indigenous grape varieties are grown in Italy and Italian wines are recognized for the incomparable variety and choice they offer in terms of aroma and flavor. Since the late 20th Century, the many native grape varieties have been supplemented by some of the more well-known classics such as: Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot used in the 'Super Tuscan' wines and Sauvignon Blanc in Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

The 20 regions of Italy are all wine producers. The three in the north-east: Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige and Friuli-Venezia Giulia are known collectively as the 'Tre Venezie'. This area boasts the most superior wine technology and is home to two of the country's leading wine schools: San Michele all'Adige in Trentino and Conegliano in the Veneto. It also houses the world?s largest vine nursery at Rauscedo in Friuli. The famous wines from this region include: Soave, Valpolicella, Bardolino, Soave & Pinot Grigio.

In the north and north-west there are five wine regions: Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont, Liguria and Aosta Valley. Together, they account for 20 per cent of Italy's total wine production as well as approximately 30 per cent of its DOCs. The famous wines from this region include: Asti, Barbaresco, Barolo & Barbera.

The six central regions are Tuscany, Lazio, Umbria, Marche, Abruzzo and Molise. They produce less than a quarter of Italy's wines but account for a third of its DOCs or DOCGs. This area benefits from the best wine growing conditions. The famous wines from this region include: Lambrusco, Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Cervaro, Orvieto, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, Verdicchio di Matelica, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo & Frascati.

In the south of Italy, including the islands, there are six wine regions, producing around 40 per cent of the country's total wine production but accounting for less than 7 per cent of its DOCs. These areas are Campania, Basilicata, Puglia, Calabria and the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. The famous wines of this region include: Fiano di Avellino, Salento Primitivo, Aglianico del Vulture, Cirò, Marsala, Nero d'Avola, Cannonau, Sulcis & Vermentino di Gallura.

Source: www.wine-searcher.com