There’s a Negroamaro blend with Malvasia Nera and together they make perfect balance in a rich red wine called Salice Salentino DOC. Negroamaro (red): A deeper, darker red wine from Puglia with more plum and herbal notes of dried sage and oregano. It’s the same grape as Zinfandel in the US and will cozy alongside BBQ burgers. Primitivo (red): This red wine explodes with sweet red strawberries, blackberries, leather and a whiff of smoke.

Think lemons, yellow apples, mango, notes of tarragon and a refreshing salty sea breeze. Inzolia, Grillo and Catarratto (white): Three white wine grapes typically used for Marsala but also make for great, more full-bodied, chardonnay-like whites. Pairs excellently with rich roasted meats and veggies. Nero d’Avola (red): A bolder red wine variety with fruity flavours of plum, raspberry sauce and liquorice with fine tannins with a somewhat smoky, spiced finish. There are 51 wines listed below and if you’ve tried them all, you’ll gain a profound understanding of Italian wine… just remember to take notes. If you tasted a new Italian Wine each week, it would take you 20 years to taste your way through Italy.įortunately, each of Italy’s 20 regions specialises in just a few primary wines and this is where you can start. Add on to this 408 Denominazioni di Origine Protetta) or regional wine quality denominations (DOC + DOCG), many of which have multiple styles. The book Wine Grapes identifies 377 unique indigenous wine grapes in Italy. Getting into Italian Wine is a never ending adventure of new wines to taste.

Sparkling wine maps