A Primer on Italian Wine

For those who love everything Italian and choose to decorate in Mediterranean style, go beyond the decorative to the authentic. While elaborate wrought iron metal wall grilles or metal wall plaques depicting rural scenes of the Tuscan countryside will lend an Italian overtone to your decor, enjoying and educating yourself about Italian wines will add an multifaceted dimension to your understanding of the culture and its cuisine.

Whether you are a connoisseur of wine or a new but enthusiastic aficionado, the world of Italian wines can be confusing because there is an overwhelming amount of information on the subject. While other countries in the world dedicate specific areas of their land as vineyards, in Italy, vineyards are scattered throughout the twenty provinces and each region or province is diverse in climate and soil conditions.

Take a look at a map of Italy: It is a ‘boot’ shaped peninsula that gives it an extensive latitudinal range that extends from the Alps in the north to just within sight of Africa in the south. The long western and eastern coastal regions enjoy moderating climates that are perfect for wine production. Stand on any coastal beach in Italy and you can see the mountainous spine that runs down the center of the country, which provides many altitudes for grape growing and a variety of climate and soil conditions.

Of all wine producing countries, Italy has long been in the top three, producing over 8.5 million metric tones of wine in 2005. This was 2 million metric tons more than the amount of wine produced by France in the same year! Italy’s 20 wine regions correspond to the 20 political regions; in each region’s local cuisine reflects their native wines, and visa-versa. Thirteen of the regions are specified as wine producing zones with Tuscany and Piedmont having the highest concentration of appellations. A wine appellation is simply a designation of wine that is its common name or title. Among appellations of Tuscany and Piedmont that are most sought after by wine lovers around the world are Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello and Chianti Classico.

A wine may be designated by appellation and it can also be known by the variety of grape from which it is made; a wine that bears the name of its inherent grape is called a varietal. Italy’s Minister of Agriculture and Forestry has documented over 350 varieties of grapes and given them “authorized” status; there are more than 500 additional documented Italian varietals in circulation as well. When stocking your wine cellar or wine rack, be sure to include at least a few of the most common and important Italian varietals.

Red Grape Varietals:

• Sangiovese – Italy’s claim to fame and the pride of Tuscany, this grape produces wines full of earthy flavors, cherry fruit and cedar. It produces Chianti Classico, Rosso di Montalcino, Rosso di Montepulciano, Monteflaco Rosso and many others.
• Nebbiolo – This noble varietal means ‘little frog’ and refers to the autumn fog the typically blankets the Piedmont region. It is most renowned for its production of Barolo and Barbaresco and other elegant reds with bouquets of wild mushroom, truffle and rose.
• Montepulciano – The grape of this name should not be confused with the Tuscan town of the same name. Montepulciano is a grape that is widely planted on the eastern coast in the province of Abruzzo and its wines are full of fruity acidity, plum-like fruit and light tannins.

White Grape Varietals:

• Trebbiano – This grape is grown throughout the country with a focus on wines from Abruzzo and Lazio, including Frascati. For the most part, these are pale, easy drinking wines.
• Moscato - Grown mainly in Piedmont, these grapes are used in the slightly sparkling, semi-sweet Moscato d’Asti. Do not confuse them with the German varietals moscato giallo and moscato rosa.
• Pinot Grigio – A wildly successful commercial grape, known as Pinot Gris in France, its wines are characterized by clean crisp flavor. It is a mass produced wine that is usually delicate and mild but it can be skillfully produced to create a more full-bodied and complex wine.

 All text copyright Relica. Photo from Flikr - "Wine retail area - Enoteca Vino Bar" courtesy of  avlxyz.