Wine from Italy
Delicious food and wonderful, diverse landscapes come to mind when we think of Italy. One or the other may also think of Italian wine when thinking of Italy. The wine from Italy is characterized above all by its diversity. Since wine is grown in every corner of the country, a wide spectrum of excellent wines is produced.
In this article we would like to take you on a little wine information trip to the land of the Dolce Vita and give you everything you need to know about Italian wine and its history, the growing areas and the grape varieties. With this knowledge, your next holiday in Italy is guaranteed to be unique! And even if this is not planned yet, we have some wine recommendations for excellent Italian wine for you at the end of the article!
Italian wine and its history
Wine has been cultivated in Italy for almost 3000 years. The Etruscans probably brought Greek wine with them to Italy in the prayers of today’s Tuscany. In Roman times, winegrowers spread throughout the country and viticulture slowly spread across Europe along with the expansion of the Roman Empire. At that time, every Italian drank mainly red wine: big or small, rich or poor. Half a liter of wine a day was also recommended for children.
People thought that wine contained fewer bacteria than water because of its alcohol content and therefore consumed almost 2 million hectoliters of wine a year. Increasing the quality of the wine was therefore also a priority for the people.
Outside of Italy, however, Italian wine was not popular until 200 BC. Before that, most Europeans preferred to drink Greek wine. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, excessive wine consumption in the country slowly decreased and the dolce vita of high red wine consumption was difficult to finance and implement. Italy’s viticulture only recovered from the 11th century and wines could be exported again.
Italian wine from ideal climatic conditions
The Romans rightly grew a lot of wine – because in fact a large part of Italy’s soil is ideal for viticulture and the climate also allows vines to grow ideally. Whether steep slopes in the countryside or by the sea or endless expanses – Italy can offer every type of viticulture. There is no shortage of water either, as the country is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, the Tyrrhenian Sea and other bodies of water. The Mediterranean climate ensures hot temperatures in the summer months and cool freshness in the winter. The soil consists of lime, gravel or volcanic rock and thus enables the cultivation of different wines with different quality levels (Vino, IGP, DOP).
Italian wine is grown here
Italy is one of the leading wine producers in Europe. The wine is not only consumed abroad but also in Italy. On average, every Italian drinks 33 liters of wine per year. The wines come from the following regions:
- Abruzzo is mainly characterized by steep slopes and Adriatic beaches
- Apulia is the third largest wine region in Italy and is home to the famous Castel de Monde area
- Basilicata is a mountainous region where viticulture has traditionally been practiced since ancient times.
- Known for many Italian dishes, Emilia-Romagna produces wine that goes perfectly with Italian food
- Campania is best known for Falerner, Faustiniano and Greco and has an ideal climate for viticulture thanks to the mountainous coastal landscape
- Although Liguria has the smallest vineyards in the country, it grows around 100 different grape varieties
- Lombardy is characterized by a cool alpine climate, which influences the wines
- Marken mainly produces mild wines in the hilly landscape
- Piemont is one of the most famous wine-growing regions and is best known for the Nebbiolo vine
- Sardinia is located in the very south of Italy, where the hot climate characterizes the wine
- Sicily produces the world-renowned Marsala and other popular sweet wines
- South Tyrol is a paradise for red wine lovers
- Tuscany is one of the oldest and most traditional wine regions in Italy. Almost 2,000 different grape varieties are grown here
- Trentino has similar soils to the red wine region of South Tyrol, but the wines from here are characterized by a warmer climate
- Umbria is the first wine-growing region of the Etruscans and still produces fruity and fresh wines today
- Veneto is particularly well-known for good Proseccos
Grape varieties of wine from Italy
The many vines are grown on around 850,000 hectares of land. We would like to introduce you to a selection of the best-known vines
- Aglianico is one of the oldest grape varieties in Italy and contains a unique abundance of tannins, which make the wine sore after long storage there is noticeable rounding.
- Barbera is a high-quality red grape variety from Piedmont. The vine is adaptable and has great vigour, which is why it is popular in many places.
- Lambrusco is a typical Dolce Vita wine that is characterized by sparkling freshness. These vines are also durable and can grow well even in hot climates.
- Montepulciano is one of the most important grape varieties in Italy. The red variety is drunk pure or used to produce exceptional red wines.
- Nebbiolo comes from Piedmont and delivers expressive red wines that have to mature for a long time
- Sangiovese is the basis for fruity wines with the taste of berries and spices.
Italian wine at wine-love
Hopefully you have now learned a lot about Italian wine – and now you have to try it! In our wine shop and under this article you will already find a large selection of excellent wine from Italy. Cheers!
We carry numerous wines from Italy from various wineries.
You are interested in the wine and want to try it first? We will be happy to put together an Italy package for you, just send us a message to: wein@wine-love.de
