Our wine professional Kate Hawkings offers us recommendation on the unsung wines of Italy and picks a few of the greatest Italian wines to strive, all with an uncommon spin. These high bottle picks embrace a substitute for prosecco and a few of the best Italian pink and white wines. For extra like this, learn our deep-dive into the greatest Italian pink wines to purchase or discover extra of Europe with our guides to the greatest Greek wine to purchase and greatest German wines to purchase.
In terms of wine, Italy is definitely essentially the most various nation on the earth. Wine is made in each area, from the cool-climate mountains of the Alto Adige within the far north, to the sun-scorched swathes of the south. Italy is the world’s largest producer, making wines of vastly totally different types and qualities.
Piedmont’s noble nebbiolos, with barolo as their king; sangiovese-based chiantis and different grandees from Tuscany; soaves and amarones from the Veneto: the good wines of northern and central Italy are among the many most interesting on the earth.
Additional south in Italy, the place the land is commonly good for nothing however these hardy Mediterranean bedfellows, grapes and olives, the wines have typically loved much less prestigious reputations, extra appreciated for his or her rustic charms (and cheapness) than for his or her finesse and complexity.
However issues are altering. Winemaking in Italy, significantly within the south, has improved in recent times, with grapes indigenous to their areas being championed and handled to cautious dealing with within the vineyard. Sicily and Puglia are the areas I most frequently look to for well-priced wines of character and curiosity, however there are such a lot of extra value exploring. Now could be the time to find the unfamiliar wines of Italy – there actually is one thing for everyone. @KateHawkings
Extra like this
Greatest Italian wines to strive at a look
- Greatest prosecco various: Bellavista Franciacorta Alma Gran Cuvée Brut NV, £33.97
- Greatest uncommon Italian wine: Cantine Belisario Lacrima di Morro d’Alba 2016 Marche, £12.70
- Greatest glowing rosé: Brown Brothers Zibibbo Rosa glowing NV, £14.95
- Greatest uncommon Italian white wine: The Wine Society’s Falanghina, £9.25
Greatest Italian wines to strive 2023
Bellavista Franciacorta Alma Gran Cuvée Brut NV
Greatest prosecco various
For those who’re on the lookout for Italian fizz that’s classier and extra fascinating than prosecco – and who isn’t? – strive a franciacorta from Lombardy. Not low-cost, however they can provide respectable champagne a run for its cash and that is the one which I maintain coming again to.
Obtainable from:
Vivino (£33.97)
Cantine Belisario Lacrima di Morro d’Alba 2016 Marche
Greatest uncommon Italian wine
Lacrima means ‘teardrop’ and refers back to the form of this indigenous grape, in addition to to its propensity to ooze juice when totally ripe. It is extremely distinctive, with floral notes redolent of your granny’s purse, together with warming, unique spices she could not have heard of. A wild-card wine that’s sure to be a speaking level.
Obtainable from:
Vinvm (£12.70)
Brown Brothers Zibibbo Rosa glowing NV
Greatest glowing rosé
Australia has been turning its consideration to Italian grapes and is doing good issues with them. Zibibbo hails from Sicily and right here is made into a pleasant rose-scented sparkler.
Obtainable from:
Sandhams Wine (£14.95)
The Wine Society’s Falanghina
Greatest uncommon Italian white wine
There’s a lot extra to Italian whites than the often-dreary pinot grigio we Brits appear to adore. This historic grape from Naples’ hinterland makes for a lip-smacking wine, and has the flexibility to swimsuit our risotto verde and our simple tray-baked hen thighs with romesco.
Obtainable from:
The Wine Society (£9.50)
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