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. |
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Sangiovese
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| Sangiovese is probably Italy’s most famous grape and it is grown every where, from Emilia Romagna going south, but the most famous Sangiovese is the one grown in Tuscany that, together with its clones Canaiolo and Sangiovese grosso only to mention a few, is used to make all renowned Tuscan wines, from the Chianti to the Brunello di Montalcino passing for the Nobile di Montepulciano and the majority of Tuscan wines.
The grape produces wines of medium intensity colour, high acidity, firm tannin, and aromas and flavours of cherries. Sangiovese wines ages very well. |
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Dolcetto |
| The Dolcetto grape produce a wine, the Dolcetto, that is the everyday wine for Piedmont ‘s natives. The Dolcetto is a very delicate grape and has to be vinified carefully as to produce a good wine.
The Dolcetto grape is found mainly in Piedmont where the wine is made. The wine Dolcetto is best drunk when young. There are 7 denominations for the Dolcetto wines, from Alba to Dogliani, from Ovada (the only DOCG wine) to Diano D’Alba and each one with different characteristics. |
Lagrein |
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The Lagrein is a grape widely planted in Trentino and Alto Adige in the north east of Italy where gives the best results, produces tannic, soft wines with real character and a vibrant acidity and age well. The grape is also used to produce elegant and fresh rose' wines. |
Pinot grigio |
| The Pinot Grigio is a red grape, with the skin not dark enough for a red wine, that produces white or rose’ wine, widely planted in the north of Italy and in Friuli, crisp and fruity dry white wines but, due to the commercial success of the wine, it is currently being planted all over Italy and not only.
The best Pinot grigios wine comes from the Friuli Venezia Giulia, from the area called Collio and their style differs depending of where the wine comes from, varying from fuller to lighter wines. The wines are now, due to the high commercial success, often blended with other grapes. |
Amarone |
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| Amarone is another famous Italian wine made mainly from Corvinia, Rondinella and Molinara grapes from vineyards located in the Valpolicella area, also used in the making of the Valpolicella and Bardolino. Another wine of the area is the Ripasso della valpolicella.
The wine is obtained drying the grapes, to concentrate the juice, and aged in barriques. The wines offers ripe fruits on the nose, is powerful and round and ages well. |
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