Benvenuti in Italia!

Recently, I have been gravitating towards Italian wines.

First, I went to a wine tasting hosted by Giorgio Rivetti from the La Spinetta and Contratto wineries. Then Suzanne, our February guest blogger, did a piece on her Italian wine tasting. And this weekend I am hosting a wine tasting of my own with a variety of Italian wines complemented by Big Red’s amazing lasagna. All roads are pointing to Italy, so let’s use this post to familiarize ourselves with the world of Italian wines.

First off, the Italians have a rich heritage of wine making, dating back at least 2,000 years. There are 20 wine producing regions in Italy, and more than 2,000 indigenous grapes (350 of them have been officially “authorized ” by the Italian government). Italy runs neck in neck with France as the world’s largest producer of wine, and is currently the largest wine exporter in the world.

Some of the common Italian grapes produce wines of the same name. For example, Barbera grapes make Barbera wines. Other Italian grapes produce both wines of the same name (Nebbiolo grapes = Nebbiolo wine) and wines with totally different names (Nebbiola grapes = Barolo wines). Makes it exciting, right? And confusing. Of the 2,000 grapes mentioned above, here are some of the more recognizable varietals, their correct pronunciations and a few characteristics of each:

White Grapes
– Pino Grigio (pee noh GREE joe): Grown in the northern regions of Italy, this is the grape that goes into the commercially successful Pinot Grigio wines, which are light bodied with crisp, acidic flavors. Note that this is the same grape found in the French Pinot Gris.
– Prosecco (pro say ko): Prosecco grapes make Prosecco wines, light sparklers with fresh, crisp flavors of peach and pear.

Red Grapes
– Barbera (bar bear ah): Barbera grapes make Barbera wines, which tend to be dry, with a deep ruby color, bold berry tastes, medium tannins and high acidity. A very food-friendly beverage.
– Dolcetto (dohl CHET toh): Dolcetto grapes are what you find in Dolcetto d’ Alba wines. Dolcetto is a black grape variety grown in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. The wines are dry and light with medium tannins and moderate acidity. The Dolcettos usually have a fruity taste and are also food friendly.
– Montepulciano (mon tae pull chee AH noh): This is a fun one. Montepulciano grapes are grown in the central regions of Italy, (nowhere near the village of Montepulciano). Montepulciano grapes are used in the production of Montepulciano d’ Abruzzo wines, but not in the Vino Nobile de Montepulciano wine, which is made with Sangiovese grapes. Sigh. Montepulciano grapes produce deeply colored wines with moderate acidity, soft tannins and fruity flavors. We’re talking smooth, drinkable wines.

– Sangiovese (san joe VAY seh): The most widely planted grape, Sangiovese is Italy’s work horse. It blends well and is a component of many different wines, everything from Chianti to Brunello de Montalcino and, of course, Vino Nobile de Montepulciano. Food friendly Sangiovese wines are light in body and color, with tastes of spice and tart cherries and moderate to high tannins.
– Nebbiolo (neb YO low): Nebbiolo grapes are what you find in Barolo or Barbaresco wines. They are grown in Italy’s Piedmont region. They produce wines that are light in color, highly tannic and associated with aromas of roses and tar. Typically, these wines require years of aging to help balance out the tannins.

Did you get all that? If not, here is an unscientific cheat sheet on what Italian wines I would recommend based on your Tribe. Click here for the quiz that will tell you what Tribe you are in:
– Accessible Tribe: Try a Moscato d’ Asti or Soave white wines, or the light and sweet Lambrusco, which is a red.
– Balanced Tribe: Consider the Gavi (made from Cortese grapes) or Pinot Grigio whites, and the Barbera, Dolcetto or Montepulciano d’ Abruzzi reds.
– Developed Tribe: For whites, go with Orvietos or Verdicchios; for your red wine needs, check out the Barbarescos and Chiantis.
– Complex Tribe: Same whites as the Developed Tribe recommendations above, but if you can get your hands on a white made from Liguria’s intense Pigato grape, try it. For reds, try the Brunello di Montalcinos and Barolos, or for something different, an Amarone, made from Corvina grapes.

I would love to hear about your favorite Italian wines so please share your recommendations. In the meantime, prego!

PS: You know that I hate being intimidated by a wine list so here is a primer on decoding an Italian wine list.
PPS: And here is a helpful visual for decoding an Italian wine label: