Italy

After centuries in the shadow of France, Italy is now receiving its due recognition for fine wine. With noble indigenous grapes, a rich viticultural heritage, and diverse soils – calcareous, volcanic and sedimentary – Italy has long had the ingredients for greatness, but history slowed its rise.

In the North, Piedmont leads with Barolo and Barbaresco, made from the noble Nebbiolo grape – aromatic, structured, and age-worthy for decades. Dolcetto and Barbera offer earlier-drinking alternatives, while Alto Piedmont’s volcanic zones like Gattinara and Bramaterra are gaining attention. In the Veneto, Valpolicella and Amarone – especially from hillside Classico villages – deliver rich, dried-fruit depth from Corvina and Rondinella.

Central Italy, particularly Tuscany, is in the midst of a renaissance. Sangiovese takes centre stage, from the bold Brunello di Montalcino to the refined Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and the vibrant, sculpted Chianti Classico – all with serious ageing potential. Montecucco is an emerging Sangiovese zone to watch. Across the Apennines, in Marche, Verdicchio from high-altitude Matelica shows impressive ageing akin to fine Chardonnay.

Further south, Abruzzo produces sleek Trebbiano whites and inky Montepulciano reds, capable of 10–15 years’ cellaring. Umbria, too, offers age-worthy depth in the bold, structured Sagrantino di Montefalco. For investment-grade wines, look to Bolgheri on the Tuscan coast, home of the Super Tuscans – Cabernet and Merlot blends made in a Bordeaux style, but with Italian sunshine and flair.

In the South, the Aglianico grape reigns. In Basilicata, Aglianico del Vulture – grown on volcanic slopes – delivers smoky, full-bodied wines with long ageing potential. In Campania, Taurasi’s Aglianico thrives on Vesuvius’s ashy, calcareous soils, producing vibrant, long-lived reds.

Puglia offers heady, forest-fruited Primitivo – a cousin of California’s Zinfandel – while Sicily, especially Mount Etna, produces Etna Rosso: smoky, spicy, red-orange wines from Nerello.