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Italy
: Italy is renowned as one of the world’s greatest gastronomic havens; from certified Prosciutto di Parma to the sea-side seafood eateries on the island of Sicily. However, this epicurean experience could not possibly be as hedonistic without the ethereal combination of the country’s plethora of fine wines. It seems unfair that a nation should be able to boast, both, some of the world’s greatest cuisine as well as its greatest wines. Italian wine is one of the most sought after in the world, and has become the second most produced in the world, behind only France.
Stretching an impressive 736 miles from northern Italy to the peninsula’s southern tip, the country’s geography generates an enormous array of topography, climate and soil structure. This is an extremely important quality of its winegrowing and making industry which lays claim to nearly 550 different grape varietals, which all desire their own necessities, in terms of terroir and climate.
The still red wines of Italy truly characterize the nation’s vast and expansive terroir; Nebbiolo dominates Piedmont, where Barolo and Barbaresco reign king and queen of the region’s production. Hailing from Brunello di Montalcino in Tuscany, the rockstar Sangiovese grape has become synonymous with greatness. Vin Santo sweet wines have taken on a mighty feat of competing with the glorious wines of Sauternes, and of course, Prosecco. Prosecco, located in Trieste (northeast Italy) and its creation of luxuriously effervescent styles of wine has become Italy’s answer to Champagne. The Glera grape variety, which has become synonymous with the name Prosecco, is the main ingredient and is beloved in the appellation where the village of Prosecco’s name has become world renowned.
The blurred boundary between Italy and the countries of Slovenia and Austria, where German influence still resonates through Friuli wines. The prevalence of Riesling and other such grape varietals is high in this region and have become extremely popular on today’s market.
With nearly 702,000 hectares of grapevines covering the massive and diverse landscape, Italy’s annual average of 48.3 million hectoliters of wine production is second only to France in terms of volume and Spain in terms of hectares of vines. The country is vast and overwhelming when it comes to the culinary arts, but perhaps even this is overshadowed by its production of some of the world’s most sought after wines, whether the omnipresent Chianti to the highly collectible and sought after Amarone della Valpolicalla.
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| Region |
Trentino
: The tall, steep Dolomites in the far north of Italy with their towering peaks and nearly vertical sides provide a unique cozy shelter to the long valleys situated in their foothills. There, blessed by constant warm breeze and protected from any harm lies Trentino, home to a thousands of years-long winemaking tradition. The forty-degrees warm summers in this province may surprise first-time visitors, given the dramatic terrain of the location, but you could tell that Trentino lies within a sweet spot by their legendary wines alone, without ever having been there in person to see this place in its full glory. This is further confirmed by their expertise and skill in producing a variety of excellent wines, able to enchant a diverse audience of connoisseurs. Trentino's vast pedigree has been traditionally most notable for its honey-perfumed, sparkling, Chardonnay-based wines and the classic style of their production.
Besides the overachieving whites, Trentino offers a wonderful selection of red wines, made from indigenous Teroldego and Marzemino grapes, as well as some of the most renowned Bordeaux blends in Italy. Rich granite, earthy hues and unbelievably melty tannins are typical for this region. The options are many to choose from, though there's no need to limit oneself to sampling just one type of wine from this region.
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| Appellation |
Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT
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