Italian Wines

Famous for having a wide range of grape varieties, Italy is one of the most versatile countries in the world when it comes to wine making. There are over 500 wine grapes officially recognised and registered in Italy but there may be hundreds more that aren't recognised yet. In terms of scale and production of wine, Italy is very much on par with France and Spain. There are around 20 Italian wine regions, however the 3 major regions include: Tuscany, Veneto and Piedmont.

The History of Italian Wine

The exact period of time when wine was first discovered in Italy is subjective. However, it's thought that wine has been made in Italy for over 4,000 years, at least. The Roman Empire created a bustling wine trade that would end up influencing many other European countries. Similar to the .... of French wine, it was monks and the Catholic church who upheld the tradition of Italian wine making. 

The Wine Regions of Italy

Italy boasts a diverse array of iconic wine regions that produce some of the world's most celebrated wines. Here is a little overview of some of Italy's fantastic wine regions.

Veneto

Veneto is the largest wine-producing region in Italy located in the northeast of the country. Prosecco is perhaps the most notable wine from Veneto which is made from the Glera grape. Some other popular Venetian wines include Valpolicella and Soave.

Tuscany

Located in central Italy, Tuscany is one of Italy's most picturesque regions and home to some of the country's most famous wines. The red Sangiovese grape is the most dominant wine grape in Tuscany and is famously used to make iconic wines such as Chianti.

Piedmont

Some say that Piedmont is the primary rival to Tuscany, but both regions have unique qualities. Piedmont is the home of Barolo, the red wine that is known as 'King of the Wines'. Although Barolo is Piedmont's best known wine, it actually only accounts for 3% of the regions production!