Italian Wines – Types, Wine Regions & Grape Varieties | Complete Guide

In this article, you will read all and everything about Italian wines in detail. Do you know? Italian wines are as vast as the Italian Roman Empire. Yes, you heard it right! As vast as the magnificent Roman Empire. Because it is as diverse as the topography of Italy is, and hence divided into various types. From Prosecco, Piedmont, Liguria of the north, which are famous for their strong reds like Barolo and Barbaresco, to central Tuscany like Super Tuscans and Chianti, and the southern regions include Sicily, Basilicata, Puglia and many more. We will also ponder over the grape varieties like Pinot Grigio, Prosecco, and Moscato.

We will not stop here, and for all the wine lovers, we will discuss the guide to buy and how to choose a precise and perfect Italian wine according to your taste and tongue. So this article is all about learning and sipping. So let's get started.

Why Italian Wines Are Loved Worldwide

The love affair of wine lovers and Italian wines is not a secret. It's a well-known combination; either one loves Italian wine, or they are a teetotaller. Ever wondered why it is so? What makes Italian drinks so beloved? Diversity! As we already discussed, different regions produce different types of wine. Italy has 20 topographical regions, which further have around 500 types of grape varieties, of which our beloved drink is produced. All these types are produced by ancient traditional techniques that are specific to a particular region and wine. The winemakers have inherited age-old wine-making techniques from their Roman Empire ancestors. The beverages that reach us are the perfect blend of these ancient techniques as well as the modern high-techs, which makes them everyone’s favourite.

What makes it more beautiful is its pairing with so many delicious foods, ranging from Italian cheese pasta to Mediterranean seafood. And the wide price range further attracts people to get their perfect Italian drinks.

Types of Italian Wines

We have already told you multiple times that Italian wines are of various types. Let’s move ahead and study these in detail. Let’s study under three broad categories: Reds, whites, and some of the sparklings, rosé wines, and desserts.

Italian Red Wine

As the name suggests, they are red. And are every wine lover’s favorite. Not going into the details, let’s quickly discuss our business. Let’s talk about the types of Italian red wines.

1. Chianti Classico - They are produced in the central region of Italy, Tuscany. It is a type of dry wine, therefore having a very low quantity of sugar. For taste, it has notes of cherry, herbs, and a little acidic tinge. You can identify a bottle of Chianti Classico by a black rooster logo present on the neck of the bottle.
2. Brunello di Montalcino - Again from the same region of Tuscany, central region of Italy. It is produced from the Sangiovese grape variety; unlike Chianti, it is 100% pure and is made up of only one type of said variety.
3. Super Tuscans - They are of high quality, known for their blending with international grape varieties. They are known for their bold, rich flavor.
4. Sangiovese di Romagna - They are the ones from the Romagna region of Italy. They are known for their ruby red color, and taste notes include cherry, plum, dry orange rind, etc.

Italian White Wine

Let me assure you that they are also of a varied nature. Ranging from fresh citrusy to complex, long-aged fine wines. Here are some examples of Italian whites.

1. Italian Pinot Grigio - Though white, its color can range from clear to pale yellow to slightly green. Typically, it has a dry type, but it can have sweetness based on the process it’s aging. Produced in the Veneto and Alto Adige.
2. Soave - Again, a dry crisp wine from Veneto. It has a distinct taste with notes of almonds, beeswax, flowers, etc.
3. Vermentino - In most of the cases, it is a soft, light-bodied white wine. Sometimes, when it undergoes Malolactic fermentation, it gives a rich, creamy texture like that of Chardonnay.

Italian Sparkling Wine

Italian bubbly, you can call it a frizzante with gentle bubbles and spumante if with the large number of bubbles. Unlike the single-name Champagne, the famous French sparkling wine. Mostly grown in the northern region of Italy.

1. Italian Prosecco - It is usually a fully sparkling, spumante. Sometimes a little-sparkling, frizzante. Mostly comes in the flavors of Green apple, honeydew melon, pear, white flowers, etc. It is produced by the tank method of second fermentation.
2. Franciacorta - It is the one very similar to the French Champagnes as far as quality is concerned. It is produced in the Lombardy region of Italy by the traditional method of second fermentation. It features diverse notes from citrus, baked apple notes, to almond and cream.
3. Trentodoc - It is known as the Champagne of Italy. It comes from the Dolomite-rich mountain terroir of the Trentino region in Italy. Second fermentation here also involves the traditional method of production.

Italian Rosé Wine

Believe me or not, Italian rosé ones are light, crispy, and cosmopolitan in use, thus making them everyone’s favorite! Here are some famous ones, just for you:

1. Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo - Literally means something similar to a cherry. The process of production is similar to that of other rosé wines that involves fermentation with temporary contact with the grapes’ peel. Mostly have aroma of cherry, pomegranate, raspberries, and sometimes of almonds.
2. Rosato - These wines are produced in the province of Benevento, a southern region of Italy. They are produced after fermentation in the steel tanks.

Italian Dessert Wine

You know what they call it in Italy, “vini dolci”. A sweet name for a sweet wine!

1. Vin Santo - It is also known as the “Holy wine”. Again, a famous wine from the famous Tuscany region of Italy. It gives an aroma of a perfect blend of hazelnut, caramel, and dried fruit.
2. Moscato d’Asti (Italian Moscato) - Lightly sparkling, hence considered as Frizzante. It's a light, aromatic, sweet wine. Taste notes include peach and honeysuckle.

Famous Italian Wine Regions

Not 5, not 10. Italy has 20 distinct wine regions. These regions are categorised into four distinct geographic areas, each of which is known for its specific famous wines. Here are a few of some examples:

1. Northwest Italy

Consists of the hilly areas of the Alps and the Po valley, which hence influences the type of grapes and wine, therefore the wine types. Ancient cities like Milan, Genoa, and Turin are present in this region itself. The famous wine region includes:

1. Piedmont - the city of Turin is famous for its great vineyards, picturesque Alps. Its famous drinks include the above-mentioned Italian Barolo, Barbaresco, and Barbera.
2. Lombardy - Known for its famous industrial city of Milan and the famous Lake Como. It features Valtellina and Franciacorta wines.
3. Liguria - One of the famous coastal regions of Italy. Known for its varietal seafood and Italian Riviera. Grapes are cultivated on the difficult rocky terrains, and hence they are famous by the term “heroic viticulture”. Well known for the Vermentino and other reds.

Popular Italian Grape Varieties in the Northwest Region

Red varieties

1. Nebbiolo - It literally means Fog, because it is harvested during October, during which the Northwestern region witnesses heavy fog. Thus, it got its name. It produces a light red colored wine which changes to dark orange hues as it ages. Comes mainly from the Piedmont region.
2. Barbera - this grape variety produces one of the world's most acidic wines and is thus known as the mouth-watering drink for the same reason. This variety is acclaimed for its high yield.
3. Dolcetto - in Italian, it means ‘little sweet one'; unfortunately, the wine it produces is not a sweet one! They are generally softer with low levels of tannins and feature moderate acidity. They have a shorter life than other beverages.
4. Freisa - Though a grape variety, it literally means strawberry! Mostly grown in the Piedmont, but other regions like Liguria and Romagna also grow this one. They produce a fine, juicy (highly acidic) drink with a moderate amount of tannins.

White Varieties

1. Moscato - Consists of over 200 grape variety of which Muscat blanc is the most famous one. They generally grow throughout the country, but the Piedmont dominates in production. They produce a very sweet and aromatic drink.
2. Cortese - Mostly grown in the southeast Piedmont, along with other regions like Lombardy and Veneto. They produce light-bodied, highly acidic white drinks. Though a high-yielding grape variety, it requires careful cultivation to preserve its perfect aroma.
3. Favorita - They are grown mostly on the left bank of the Tanaro River in the Piedmont region. They produce highly acidic, light-bodied drinks with lemon and lime taste notes.

2. Northeast Italy

It is a tourist-favorite region and features ancient cities like Venice, Emilia Romagna, Verona, Bologna, etc. Produces distinct taste and aroma due to the volcanic soil and alpine climate. Renowned wine regions include Veneto, Trentino, etc. Let’s see one by one.

1. Veneto - It is the largest wine-producing region of Italy. It is further divided into distinct regions for reds, whites, and sparklings. Reds are grown in the Valpolicella region, whites in the Soave and Prosecco for the bubbly.
2. Alto Adige - Mostly produces white, crispy drinks along with reds in good quantity in the South Tyrol region, along with the sparklings in the Trentino region, and some of the reds in the Teroldego and Marzemino.
3. Friuli-Venezia Giulia - This region mostly produces white wines. The most famous one is the Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon blanc, etc. The premium reds include Merlot, Cabernet Franc, etc.

Red Grape varieties

1. Corvina - Most of the Valpolicella and Rondinella are made up of the Corvina grapes. Famous for its sour cherry-like flavour. This variety produces bright red-colored drinks with distinguish with light in the structure.
2. Merlot - It boasts itself as the third most grown grape variety in Italy. Best grown in the clayey soil and the temperate climate of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Known for their dark Ruby Red color. They produce mostly fresh wines, sometimes kept for aging.
3. Cabernet Sauvignon - Mostly grown in the warmer regions of Collio and grave regions. It produces fine high acidic wines. It has a French Bordeaux-like approach of blending with other varieties, like that of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, etc.

White Grape varieties

1. Pinot Grigio - it is the most famous Italian white wine grape variety. It produces crispy, highly acidic, light-bodied dry wine. Grapes are light pink, unlike other ones; greenish colored for white wines. Their wines are known for their specific lemon zest aroma.
2. Garganega - It is known as the ancient variety. Most often it is cultivated in the regions of Soave, Gambellara in Veneto, and also in Sicily. It has the title of the 6th most planted variety in Italy. This variety produces liquor with both sweet and dry flavors due to its high-acidic and thick-skinned grapes.

3. Central Italy

Central Italy is literally the centre of Italy. It is a prominent cultural and geographical hub. Let me tell you that the city of Rome is also present in this region, so you can understand why it is so important. It also has the famous Tiber River, the Apennine Mountains, as well as the plain areas. Let’s dive deeper and study various cities of central Italy.

1. Tuscany - It is the most dominant city in this region as far as wine-making is considered. It features various drinks like Chianti classico, Brunello di Montalcino, and the blended Super Tuscans.
2. Umbria - It borders Tuscany and is known as the “green heart of Italy” because of its huge area under vine cultivation. It features traditional drinks like Sagrantino, the red, and the Orvieto DOC, the white.
3. Marche - It has a prestige of being present in between the Apennine mountains and the Adriatic sea. It features a diverse range of wines: reds, whites, sparklings, and rosés.
4. Abruzzo - It is known for its famous Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, the full-bodied red wine, and the similar white ones. It is the most famous one on the Adriatic coast.

Red Grape Varieties

1. Sangiovese - The name has an interesting meaning derived from the Latin word “Sanguis Jouvis” it means the blood of Jupiter, so you can imagine its color, as red as the blood of Jupiter! Jokes apart, it’s a very slow aging, powerful red wine, mostly grown in Tuscany!
2. Montepulciano - Primarily grown in Abruzzo and Marche. The most famous one is the red one stated above the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Not only this it has a rosé drink also named as Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo. It’s a very high-yielding variety able to thrive in a hot and humid climate.
3. Sagrantino - It is mainly grown in the Umbria region of central Italy. Its red color is deep enough to fall in love with it, but here’s a catch! The wine produced from it is of royal purple color, further to fall in love with. It is known as Italy’s most tannic variety.

White Grape Variety

1. Verdicchio - You can find it growing in the vast fields of Marche and Umbria. Its taste mostly has notes of almonds and citrus, like lemons. It has a very high acidic nature, which helps it to sustain freshness for longer periods of time.
2. Trebbiano - It is one of the most widely grown varieties of white grapes worldwide. Yes, it is also grown in other parts of the world, but it is dominated in Italy and France. In Italy, it is grown widely in Tuscany and Umbria. Not only our drinks, but also it is used to produce balsamic vinegar.
3. Grechetto, though it is planted throughout central Italy, but a major chunk is grown in the Umbria. You know! People call it a great Italian alternative to unoaked wine, such as Chardonnay and Pinot Gris, because its fermentation doesn’t take place in oak vessels.
4. Vernaccia di San Gimignano and Malvasia Bianca Lunga are widely known varieties from Tuscany.

4. Southern Italy

Finally, we are here! The last region of otherwise small Italy. This beautiful region has another beautiful name, “Mezzogiorno”. This region features the ancient city of Sardinia and the islands of Sicily. Let’s move on to our business, the famous cities and types of wines.

1. Sicily - It produces a diverse variety of wines ranging from rustic reds to crispy whites. Being present in the southern part, the climate is of a Mediterranean type, of course. A few examples of its various wine varieties are Nero d’Avola, Nerello Mascalese, Frappato, and Zibibbo, known as the Muscat of Alexandria.
2. Puglia - This coastal region features and have hot and humid Mediterranean type of climate. It is further divided into various regions. Yes, a small region producing a hell lot of drinks. Some examples are: Primitivo di Manduria, Salice Salentino, Castel del monte. Beautiful names, right?
3. Campania is a coastal state with mountainous terroir and a warm Mediterranean type of climate. Like its fellow, it also has various wine areas, for instance, Irpinia, Sannio, Caserta, and the coastal areas.

Red Grape Varieties

1. Aglianico - not purple, not red, they are pure black colored grapes. These are our simple grapes, producing simply a single variety of wines. Mostly grown in the regions of Campania and Basilicata. Due to magnanimous acidity, it has a very magnificent and efficient aging potential.
2. Negroamaro - It produces medium to full-bodied red wines. It is grown in Puglia. The wine produced by these grapes has notes of black fruits like; black berry, black cherry, plum.
3. Nero d’Avola - It is often grown in the Sicily region of Central Italy. It offers taste notes of sweet tannins, plums, and sometimes a peppery in taste.

White Grape Varieties

1. Fiano - Grown in the region of Campania. Though they produce a white wine, it still gives you a full-bodied appearance, and its heavenly taste is competing with ancient ones like Chardonnay and Sauvignon. They obtained wine that gives a nutty texture, unlike the crispy, light usual wines.
2. Greco di Tufo - Though an Italian variety, it is considered to have originated in Greece. Anyway, the wine produced will make you awe for its citrusy, herbaceous, and spicy flavors.
3. Grillo - Grape varieties are grown in Sicily. Taste includes some citrus notes like lime, lemon, and pear, sometimes tropical fruits like those of pineapples and sometimes the notes of herbs and the nose of wildflowers.

There are other famous

How to Choose the Right Italian Wine

Enough of facts and information! Right? Let us now move on to something delicious! Some crispy and some full-bodied. Some reds, oh, the color that will make even your eyes thirsty. Some of the roses are just whites. Some sweets are just bitter and fine, which are waiting for you to sip a little slower and longer.

If you are confused whether to go for a dry brut or a tasty sweet, then don’t worry, we are here to guide which one to choose, exactly how to choose. Let us quickly guide you on how to choose a perfect Italian wine.

A perfect wine does exist! All you need to know is some pre-requisites, which are: which food you are pairing with, the occasion you are planning to host, and whether you want a full, bold mouth feel or a light, crispy mouth feel. Mostly, they are either sweet or dry. Whether full-bodied or light.

Sweet vs dry

1. Sweet ones - If you are someone who wants a juicy, fruity, and smooth profile, then you should go for an off-dry drink, the sweet one! You can go for some famous drinks like Moscato d’Asti. They pair well with sweet desserts as well as spicy ones.
2. Dry ones - But if you don’t want a sweet tooth, you can definitely go for a dry one, which will give you a crispy and refreshing feel. If it’s a white one or if it’s a red Italian wine, then it will give you a strong and structured mouth feel. It pairs well with spicy and tangy foods like roasted chicken or veggies. You can choose some like Pinot Grigio, Chianti, etc.

Light vs. Bold

1. Light drinks - They are called light because they have a lower alcohol concentration due to their highly acidic nature. Anyway, these light Italians make perfect pairs with the light foods like salads, salty seafood, creamy cheese, etc. Famous ones are Prosecco, Soave, or Aperol spritz.
2. Bold drinks - As the name suggests, they are rich in higher alcoholic concentration and more of mouth full tannins. As far as pairings are concerned, these rich drinks make a rich pair with rich food like red meats, cheesy pasta, etc. Here you will find premium drinks like Barolo, Amarone, etc.

Occasion-based selection

1. Casual Gathering - For simple Barbecue, you can choose light bubbly like Italian Prosecco, or approachable ones like Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon blanc, or the famous beers, medium-bodied reds like Barbera.
2. Formal dinner nights - You can choose crisp white wines like Vermentino as starters, and for later, you can choose bold, rich reds. Like Brunello, Barolo, etc.
3. Celebration - Celebratory sparklings like Prosecco and Franciacorta make perfect candidates for celebratory events like Toasting.

Food Pairing Basics

1. Golden rule - Keep the richness of drinks as directly proportional to the richness of food. Let me explain to you by giving an example, pair bold Chianti with tangy tomato flavors, for lemon garlic seafood, choose crispy white like Sauvignon blanc.
2. Some opposites - As they say, “opposite attracts,” so you can choose high-acid wine like Barbera with deep-fried foods, like roasted chicken.
3. For Desserts - Mind you to choose a sweeter wine than the dessert you are having, otherwise your wine will simply feel like water. So you can choose Italian Moscato or Vin Santo accordingly.
4. For spicy foods - Do not go for very bold reds, otherwise the chilly flavor may make it taste bitter. Choosing white will be an educated option. And as far as Italian wines are concerned, we have enough of white wines like Italian Pinot Grigio, Soave, etc.

Quick Recap

1. Choose the food you are pairing with.
2. Identify the main flavors.
3. Mind the occasion
4. When in doubt, follow the page

Price Guide

Let me further help you by giving a quick price and taste comparison in a tabular format. So you can easily buy or give gifts to your loved ones.

Explore more with our Italian gifts, Moscato wine gift, French vs Italian wine, top wine grape varieties, and Italian wine food pairing guide.

Best Italian Wines to Try

You can choose an Italian wine from the wide variety we have explained here. You can go for as many reds as you want, or whites, or Rose and even sparklings.

Let me quickly compile all the Italian wines we read about here

Red wines: Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Super Tuscans, Sangiovese di Romagna.

White wines: Italian Pinot Grigio, Soave, Vermentino.

Rose wines: Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, Rosato..

Italian Sparkling Wines: Italian Prosecco, Franciacorta, Trentodoc.

Buy or Gift Italian Wines Online

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