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Aglianico is one of Italy’s most prestigious red grape varieties, originally brought from Greece to southern Italy by ancient Greek settlers. Primarily cultivated in the Campania region - especially in the provinces of Avellino and Benevento - Aglianico has since expanded to neighboring regions such as Apulia, Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise, where it continues to thrive.
Renowned for its affinity with volcanic soils, Aglianico produces some of southern Italy’s finest red wines, including the iconic Taurasi DOCG, often referred to as the "Barolo of the South" due to its structure and aging potential. The grape’s naturally high tannins and acidity make it ideal for long aging, with time spent in oak barrels helping to soften its bold structure and enhance its elegance.
The expansion of Aglianico cultivation has led to two distinct expressions of the grape:
- Aglianico, primarily grown in Campania, where it delivers deep, complex wines with dark fruit flavors and earthy undertones.
- Aglianico del Vulture, cultivated in Basilicata, where the volcanic soils of Mount Vulture contribute to its intense minerality and distinctive character.
Aglianico wines are known for their full bodied structure, firm tannins, and high acidity, giving them exceptional aging potential. In its youth, Aglianico can be quite tannic and concentrated, requiring a few years of bottle aging to develop its signature complexity. Over time, the fruit flavors - often dark cherry, plum, and blackberry - become more pronounced, while the tannins soften, resulting in a smoother, more refined wine.
Aglianico thrives in warm, dry climates and is a late ripening variety, often harvested as late as November. This extended growing season allows the grape to develop its bold flavors while maintaining its characteristic acidity, ensuring a balanced and structured final wine.
Aglianico del Vulture is an ancient red grape variety originating from Greece. It owes its name to the term Elleanico (in Italian it means Greek), that during the Government of Aragon changed in pronunciation. Its birthplace is definitely the Vulture area in Basilicata, in the province of Potenza. Mount Vulture (1326 m.s.l.) is an extinct volcano and on its slopes Aglianico has found its perfect climate and soil conditions. The Aglianico del Vulture is a variety with small bunches, with grapes of an intense blue color that prefers high volcanic soils and hills, sensitive to the heat and autumn frosts.
The spread of the Aglianico grape led to the registration in the National Register of Grapes of two different grape varieties, the Aglianico, grown mainly in Campania, and the Aglianico del Vulture, grown in Basilicata.
Aglianico del Vulture has black, medium-small, ellipsoidal berries with waxy, thin, black skin. The cluster is medium-small, cylindrical, often winged, and compact. The wines made from the Aglianico del Vulture grapes have a deep ruby color with a fruity, very intense, nose evolving with age and becoming more complex, acquiring scents of spices and flowers. The Aglianico del Vulture is a wine of great concentration, alcohol content, structure and minerality and suited to wood ageing.
The Aglianicone grape has ancient origins and was brought to Italy probably by the Greeks. It was long time known as a variant of the best-known grape Aglianico, but actually it corresponds more closely to the Ciliegiolo and is related to the Montepulciano. It gives a modest quality wine and this prompted it to mix with common varieties for table wines, where Aglianicone makes a good contribution of acidity. However, there are attempts to obtain a quality wine made purely of this variety by controlling the yields and cellar practices.
Aglianicone has black, medium, round berry with thick, solid, waxy, blue-black skin. The bunch is medium-large, cylindrical, compact with medium or medium-large, pentagonal, three or five lobed leaves.
The vine Aglianicone gives an intense ruby red wine, fairly tannic, sometimes of a bitter sour taste.
The Albana grape is an ancient white grape variety primarily cultivated in Emilia-Romagna, where it plays a central role in the region’s winemaking identity. Believed to have Roman origins, its name is likely connected to the Colli Albani, the volcanic hills south of Rome, suggesting it may have migrated north centuries ago. Albana is one of the oldest white grape varieties in Italy to be vinified into high-quality wines, and it was the first Italian white wine to be awarded DOCG status, under Albana di Romagna DOCG, in 1987.
There are several known clones of Albana, each with slight variations in cluster shape and size:
Albana Gentile di Bertinoro and Albana della Compadrona: known for their large clusters.
Albana della Serra: identified by its elongated bunches.
Albana della Bagarona: medium to large in size.
Albana della Gaiana: more compact clusters.
The ampelographic characteristics of Albana make it particularly suitable for passito (raisin) wine production. Its white berries are medium-sized, spherical, and covered with a waxy, yellow-green to golden skin that is resilient and thin yet consistent. The loose clusters and durable skins aid in natural drying processes, which is why Albana is often used to produce some of Italy’s most acclaimed sweet wines.
The Albana vine is vigorous and performs well in the rolling hills and sun-drenched vineyards of Romagna, where it benefits from well-ventilated conditions that are ideal for grape drying. Wines made from Albana grapes range from dry and structured to rich, golden-hued dessert wines.
Among these, the Albana di Romagna DOCG Passito stands out as a benchmark. This intensely aromatic dessert wine offers notes of honey, apricot, candied citrus, and almond, with a refined balance between fresh acidity and velvety softness. The passito version is regularly awarded both in Italy and abroad for its depth, elegance, and aging potential.
The Albarola grape is a lesser-known but historically significant white variety primarily grown in Liguria, stretching from the Riviera di Ponente to the border of Tuscany. It shares strong morphological similarities with Bianchetta Genovese, and many believe the two may be synonymous, though definitive ampelographic proof remains uncertain.
Albarola plays a key role in the composition of Cinque Terre Sciacchetrà DOC, a rare and elegant passito-style wine that has become a jewel of Ligurian viticulture. Its subtle character and natural acidity make it well-suited for blending, especially in wines that seek freshness and delicate aromatic lift.
The Albarola vine produces medium-small, ellipsoidal berries that are white in color, with thin but strong waxy skins, ranging from greenish to pale yellow. The bunches are typically medium to small, cylindrical or conical in shape, often winged, and accompanied by pentagonal or orbicular leaves of medium size. This variety performs best in cooler hillside vineyards and thrives under traditional training systems, often requiring short or mixed pruning. It offers good and consistent yields, making it a dependable component in regional blends.
Wines made from Albarola are usually light straw yellow in color, occasionally displaying greenish reflections. The aroma is subtle and fresh, often recalling the scent of an open grass field or wild herbs. On the palate, the wine tends to be light, crisp, and delicately structured, with a clean finish that makes it an ideal partner for seafood, light appetizers, and summer fare.
While rarely bottled as a single varietal, Albarola’s contribution to Liguria’s traditional wines is invaluable, particularly in maintaining balance and freshness in both dry and sweet blends.
Albarossa is a relatively unknown but promising red grape variety from Piedmont, Italy, created in 1938 by Professor Giovanni Dalmasso. His goal was to combine the best qualities of two of Piedmont’s iconic grapes, Nebbiolo and Barbera, into a single, superior variety. The resulting hybrid, initially called Incrocio Dalmasso XV/31, became known as Albarossa.
For many years, Albarossa was believed to be the offspring of Nebbiolo. However, DNA testing later revealed a surprising twist: the grape’s true "father" is not Nebbiolo, but Chatus, also known as Nebbiolo di Dronero, a lesser-known Alpine grape native to France and northwestern Italy. While not as noble as Nebbiolo, Chatus brings its own unique attributes to the hybrid.
Following decades of experimentation, Albarossa was officially registered in 2001 as a permitted grape variety for cultivation in the Asti, Alessandria, and Cuneo provinces of Piedmont. The variety quickly attracted interest from winemakers, including some prominent names,thanks to its impressive structure, aging potential, and ability to thrive in local terroirs.
The Albarossa grapes has a small, ellipsoidal, black berry with a waxy, thin skin, red-violet in color. Its bunch is medium-sized, pyramidal, winged, and moderately compact and medium, pentagonal, five-lobed leaf. The grape prefers dry, calcareous hills soil rich in microelements
Albarossa wines are typically intense ruby red in color, with a vinous aroma accented by spicy notes and red fruits, particularly cherry. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, vibrant, and well-suited to aging, often improving over time to reveal complexity and depth.
The Aleatico grape is a historic variety with Greek origins, now predominantly cultivated in Italy, especially in the regions of Tuscany, Puglia, and Lazio. This semi-aromatic black grape is believed to be a mutation of the Muscat family, sharing a subtle resemblance in its fragrant profile.
Aleatico is prized for its versatility, producing both dry and sweet wines of high quality. Notable examples include the Aleatico di Gradoli DOC from Lazio and the renowned Elba Aleatico Passito DOCG, a dessert wine from the island of Elba.
The Aleatico berry is medium-sized, black, with a distinctive irregular shape and waxy blue-brown skin with a medium sized cluster, elongated, winged. The leaf is large, pentagonal, orbicular, with three or five lobes. The Aleatico grapes thrives in sun-exposed hillsides, preferring warm climates. It has medium vigor and reliable, consistent yields.
The wine produced from Aleatico grapes typically features a ruby red color, intense floral and fruity aromas, and with age, it develops jammy and mature notes, making it ideal for aging.
In addition to its stronghold in central and southern Italy, Aleatico is also found in smaller quantities in Marche, Abruzzo, and Sicily. Beyond Italy, it has been planted in California, Australia, Chile, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Corsica (though not recognized for AOC wine production there).
Whether you're a wine enthusiast exploring niche Italian varietals or seeking a distinctive, aromatic grape, Aleatico offers unique complexity, especially in sweet passito style wines.
The Alionza is a white grape variety of uncertain origin. It is probably of Slavic origin, from which the appellation “Slave grape” which is attributed to it in the Bologna area. Cultivation in the provinces of Bologna and Modena started a long time ago. Alionza was once cultivated along with other local varietals. Today this grape is considered to be an endangered variety since it’s spread on a surface of less than 50 hectares throughout Italy.
The white berry is big, spheroid with a waxy, thick, large, yellow skin. Alionza has a large, pyramidal bunch with one or two large wings and medium, pentagonal, five lobes leaves.
The Alionza vine prefers well exposed soils and warm climates. It gives a straw colored wine, harmonious, preservable with good body.
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG is one of Italy’s most iconic and prestigious red wines. Produced in the Valpolicella region of Veneto, nestled between Lake Garda and Verona, Amarone is made primarily from a blend of native grapes - Corvina, Molinara and Rondinella - the same varieties used in all Valpolicella wines.
What makes Amarone unique is its traditional winemaking method called appassimento, in which harvested grapes are left to dry for approximately 120 days. This process concentrates the sugars and aromas, resulting in a full-bodied, high-alcohol red wine with rich, complex flavours and exceptional ageing potential. After drying, the grapes are gently pressed and aged in wooden barrels for a minimum of two years. The leftover grape skins are then reused to produce Valpolicella Ripasso, where fresh Valpolicella wine is "re-passed" over the Amarone pomace for enhanced depth and structure.
The Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG classification includes various subzones. Wines can be labelled as “Classico”, referring to the historic heart of the Valpolicella region, or “Valpantena”, a recognised growing area in the northeast. Wines made outside these subzones cannot include geographic indications on the label. The DOCG status, granted in 2009, protects both the name and the production methods of Amarone.
The disciplinare, or official wine regulation, lists all permitted grape varieties and defines strict production guidelines. Due to the number of allowed grapes and the flexibility in their proportions, Amarone wines can vary significantly between producers and vintages, even within the same winery, offering a wide range of styles, from elegant and balanced to bold and opulent.
In exceptional vintages, a Riserva version of Amarone can be produced, requiring a minimum of four years of ageing before release. These wines are highly sought after for their complexity and longevity.
Amarone’s commercial success has inspired many Italian producers to adopt the appassimento technique, creating wines labeled as “appassimento” to showcase the drying process, though they cannot legally be called Amarone unless produced within the DOCG regulations and in the majority of cases, produce overly sweet wines lacking acidity.
With its powerful structure, concentrated fruit, and velvety tannins, Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG remains a benchmark for Italian red wines and a must-try for wine lovers and collectors seeking depth, tradition, and elegance in a glass.
Arneis is a historic white grape variety native to Piedmont, Italy, primarily cultivated in the Roero region, where it thrives in the sandy soils and rolling hills. Known for producing aromatic and elegant white wines, Arneis stands out in a region predominantly famous for its reds, such as Barolo and Barbaresco.
By the 1960s, Arneis was on the brink of extinction due to several challenges, including rural depopulation, economic struggles in the wine industry, and a stronger focus on Piedmont's red grape varieties. However, a handful of visionary winemakers recognized its potential and began replanting and refining the grape, bringing it back into prominence as a high-quality white wine from Piedmont.
In recent years, wineries have intensified their efforts to enhance Arneis wine quality through clonal selection and innovative winemaking techniques. This has resulted in wines with greater depth, structure, and consistency, solidifying Arneis as an outstanding Italian white wine. While Piedmont remains the heartland of Arneis production, its proximity to Liguria has led to small but notable plantings in that region as well.
Arneis wines are celebrated for their floral and fruity aromas, often featuring notes of white peach, pear, citrus, and almond, along with a characteristic minerality. Typically medium-bodied with balanced acidity, Arneis wines offer a refreshing alternative for white wine lovers seeking something beyond the usual Italian varietals.
With its fascinating history, ongoing evolution, and increasing popularity, Arneis has firmly reestablished itself as one of Italy’s most exciting white grape varieties.
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