Introduction to Italian wines and grapes |
| Italy grows more than thousand varieties of grapes, international and native ones, with some of them only planted in very small areas and with a very limited wine production and therefore only available to the locals. Wines as we all know, can be made by a single grape or a blend of different grapes, and with such a variety we can easily imagine how many wines can be made without considering the wine making process. Italian wines are an endless story.
This Italian wine and grape guide has been thought to offer you an introduction, an insight, into Italian wines & grapes highlighting the most important native grapes, as well as a selection of Italian wines that many drinkers enjoy without knowing the grapes used in making them. This guide should be seen as the starting point, your first point of reference when wanting to know more about Italian wines and grapes and does not pretend to answer all your questions about Italian wines. The first thing to say about Italian wines is that the appellation system divides the wines into 4 different categories, DOCG, DOC, IGT and vino da tavola in this order. Except for the vino da tavola (table wine) where any grape from anywhere in Italy of any quality can be used, for the wines in the other categories, the law specifies the characteristics of the grapes used in making the wine (eg. maximum yield, origin) and or the wine making process (eg. minimum ageing, grapes allowed), however, a DOCG wine does not mean a better wine that an IGT, it simply means that the wine is made following a different wine making process. A good wine can only be made if the grapes are good and the wine maker knows its job, if any of the two is missing, the wine is not going to be any good not even if it has the DOCG label. |
Aglianico |
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| A red grape originally grown in Campania and Basilicata, where it still give its best results with powerful and at the same time, elegant wines, that is now grown in the whole south of Italy. Within these two regions, there are different areas where the grape is grown resulting in red wines with different characteristics.
Its red wines are usually tannic, smoky and full of blackberry flavours and age very well when properly made. The Aglianico grape is used to make Aglianico wines, red and rose’, and the Taurasi. |
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Barbera
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| Barbera is a red wine that lives in the shadow of its more famous cousins, Nebbiolo and Barolo, but when properly made, is responsible for elegant, deep coloured medium-bodied wines with spicy flavours and a vibrant acidity.
The Barbera grape is planted widely in many parts of the country, but its finest wines come from Piedmont where the wine has two denominations, Barbera D’Alba and Barbera d’Asti; the first made with grapes from vineyards surrounding the town of Alba and producing the best wines and the second the town of Asti. |
Montepulciano |
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Montepulciano is Abruzzo most important grape and red wines, bottled as Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, red and rose' wine respectively. It is also planted in other regions, especially the Marche where is used to make the Rosso Conero.
The Montepulciano grape is a very robust grape and its wines are powerful, plummy red wines with soft tannins and it ages well. Montepulciano wines range from very poor to very good and the grape is also blended with other grapes in the making of several wines |
Nebbiolo |
| Nebbiolo is the most important grape in Piedmont and, amongst the other wines, it makes Barolo and Barbaresco, only with grapes obtained from vineyards surrounding the town of Barolo and Barbaresco. The nebbiolo grape is also planted in other Italian areas and regions, mainly Lombardy.
Nebbiolo is a wine that when young is often astringent and tannic but with age, develops a nose of roses, cherries and the tannins soften. Nebbiolo wines are full bodied with plenty of character. |
Nero d’ Avola |
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| Nero d’ Avola is probably the most planted grape in Sicily and it can now be found as far as Australia and California due to the ability of the grape to grown under extreme hot temperature.
The grape is generous, ripe with black fruit flavours and soft tannins and produces full bodied, rich, red wines. It is also often used in blend due to its characteristics that can be passed to the wine. |
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