Italian Fine Wine

For sheer variety and choice, Italy’s abundance of wines is hard to match. The country is home to a multitude of grape varieties, many of them indigenous and rarely seen elsewhere, while the wide array of regions and climatic differences lends itself to a similarly diverse spectrum of wine styles.

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SuperTuscans

With the exception of the so-called ‘SuperTuscans’, which are largely made from international varieties, the most noteworthy Italian wines tend to draw on styles and grape varieties that are typical of their region. From the classic, austere Nebbiolo of Barolo and Barbaresco in Piedmont to the savoury, red-fruited Sangiovese of Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino, these are wines capable of expressing every bit as much complexity and ageability as the great wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy in France. Then there are the sparkling wines of Franciacorta and Prosecco, the refreshing whites of Soave and Friuli, and the sun-soaked reds of Puglia and Sicily. And that’s just scratching the surface… Whether you’re buying by the bottle for a casual midweek supper, or by the case to lay down for years to come, Lay & Wheeler’s expertly sourced range covers all the bases.

Iconic Italian wine regions

Tuscany

Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano… the wines of Tuscany are as familiar and well-loved by British wine lovers as the region’s entrancing, rolling landscapes are by the nation’s holiday-goers. Largely dominated by the native Sangiovese grape variety, Tuscan reds combine a wonderfully refreshing, cherry-tinged profile with – in the case of the region’s many historic names – the ability to develop truly beguiling flavours with age. And that’s without even mentioning the so-called ‘SuperTuscans’ – Ornellaia, Sassicaia and the like – that have brought a bolder, more international flavour to new-wave regions such as Bolgheri.

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Piedmont

Piedmont is arguably Italy’s most historic, traditional wine region, dominated by the Nebbiolo grape variety which, in the finest examples from Barolo and Barbaresco, is capable of producing renderings unlike anywhere else in the world. While the structure of such wines means that many of them can age prodigiously, developing wonderfully complex flavours over time, these can also be wines of bewitching lightness and grace, often belying their reputation for tannic strength.

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Sicily

In recent years, Sicily has become something of a darling of the contemporary wine scene, emerging as one of the wine world’s most exciting regions. While wine has been made here for centuries, it is only now that greater know-how and savvier viticultural practices are bringing out the nuances of the island’s soils. And while the hot climate traditionally led many to believe the region was best suited to strong, tannic reds, varieties such as the vibrant, relatively delicate Nerollo Mascalese can yield similarly light wines, performing particularly well on the volcanic soils of Etna.

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Popular Italian wine

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Show in Bond Pricing Buying in bond means the wine is stored in a bonded warehouse and no duty or VAT has been paid—ideal for storage or resale. <br>Duty paid means taxes are included and the wine is ready for home delivery and drinking.

2018 Barolo Ravera, Vietti

2019 Tignanello, Antinori, Tuscany

2020 Langhe DOC Riesling Pètracine, G.D. Vajra

2018 Amarone della Valpolicella, Monte Santoccio, Nicola Ferrari

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Italian wine vintages

As with all countries, it is impossible to generalise about the quality of a vintage – wine made form a single year – across the whole territory. Summer conditions in Piedmont, in the north of Italy, might be very different to that of Sicily, in the south. Even within individual regions, such as Tuscany, producers in Brunello di Montalcino might report a very different season to those of Bolgheri, on the coast. On the whole, though, vintages are much more recognised and documented in these fine-wine regions, and it is always worth checking the quality of the year when considering a purchase at this level. In Tuscany, the 1995, 1999, 2001, 2010, 2016 and 2019 vintages of Brunello particularly prized, for example. In Piedmont, the Barolos and Barbarescos of 2010, 2013, 2015 and 2016 are acclaimed, with 2019 and, increasingly, 2021 also making waves; 2002, by contrast, is best forgotten.

Italian wine FAQs

What is Italian wine best known for?

Such is the country’s vast diversity and sprawling landmass that it is hard to pigeon-hole Italian wine. Indeed few wine purists would talk of the country’s output as one entity. Most Italian provinces make wine of one sort or another, and with the climate varying hugely from the alpine terroirs of Alto Adige in the north, to the heat of Puglia in the south, almost every style of wine can be found somewhere. Quality varies markedly too, with plenty of cheap and cheerful bottlings in less reputed areas, and some truly world-class wines marking out the Barolos and Brunellos of Piedmont and Tuscany, and the increasingly acclaimed volcanic wines of Sicily. And while there are pockets of good white wines, particularly in the north of the country, it is the ageworthy reds, made from native grape varieties, for which Italy is best known.

Why don’t Italian wines list the grape variety on the label?

The first thing to note here is that Italy boasts around 500 indigenous grape varieties, meaning that few, if any, wine lovers could be sure of recognising them all. That said, some varieties – Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Nero d’Avola – are more common than others, and tend to flourish particularly in certain regions. As a result, most of Italy’s most renowned wines are classified and labelled according to their particular region, or DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata). This system sees wines having to adhere to certain requirements of location, grape variety and other factors, often including ageing, in order to carry the region’s name, thereby being emblematic of that regional style and quality. All Brunello di Montalcino is made solely from Sangiovese, for example; likewise Barolo with Nebbiolo. And while some wines do list the grape variety on the label, these are generally wines harnessing atypical, international varieties (though this shouldn’t necessarily be taken as a sign that the wines are inferior, just outside the regional parameters).

 What are the most famous Italian wine styles?

Piedmont and Tuscany are home to the most renowned styles – Barolo and Barbaresco (made from Nebbiolo) in the former, Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico (both made largely from Sangiovese) in the latter, which is also home to the ‘SuperTuscan’, a high-octane blend that often draws on more international grape varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon. Elsewhere, the wines of Valpolicella, including Amarone, are prized in the Veneto, while Sicily is increasingly recognised as a source of exciting, vibrant wines, in a variety of styles and denominations. And of course, famous doesn’t just mean critically acclaimed – popular styles such as Prosecco and Soave don’t receive as much coverage from wine’s cognoscenti, but they are much loved by consumers.

What is a DOC, a DOCG or IGT, and which is the best?

It is important to note that none of these classifications are a strict signifier of quality. A wine classified as DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) merely signifies that it is from a controlled place of origin, and made via certain regulated production methods. The same applies to DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) wines, but the criteria are generally more rigorous, often around elements such as the yields in the vineyard and ageing in the winery, with the wines also subject to tasting by an expert panel. There are over 300 DOCs in Italy, but only around 75 DOCGs. An IGT, meanwhile – Indicazione Geografica Tipica – is a wine typically made from a broader geographic area, in a more international style, rather than with local grape varieties and methods. SuperTuscans are a prime example. There are more than 100 IGTs across the country, with the highest number of such wines coming from Puglia.

Italian wine producers

The most famous names of Italy are among the most historic names in wine – Biondi-Santi, Aldo Conterno, Frescobaldi, Antinori – with the latter having made wine in Tuscany since the 14th century, across 26 generations. And while not every producer can boast quite such longevity, Italy boasts a huge number of family-owned wineries, many of whom have forged similar reputations after just two or three generations. The likes of Gaja, Bruno Giacosa, Pio Cesare, Elvio Cogno and GD Vajra are leading lights in Piedmont, just as the second- and third-generation Romano dal Forno and Quintarelli are in Valpolicella. Even the more contemporary, cult Tuscan wines such as Tua Rita, Bibi Graetz and Castello di Ama are made by family-owned estates.