Great Italian Wines
The words ‘Italy’ and ‘wine’ go together in people’s minds first and foremost when people consider a wine producing country. Indeed, wine is not only a product from Italy, but it’s absolutely a part of Italian culture. There isn’t a home that doesn’t have a bottle or a carafe of wine, and even young adults drink table varieties of wine with their meals.
To drink the wines of Italy is to drink a part of history, and to enjoy these wines is akin to capturing the soul of a country.
Italian wine making originated from the Roman Empire colonization of Greek territories. Greeks brought growing grapes for wine, or viticulture, first to Sicily, and then the practice spread further north. During these times, the wine was blended with water in order to make the water bearable to drink. This is thought to be why wine drinking became such a common part of Italian culture.
A classical Italian vineyand scene
Great Italian wines are produced in one of the 20 wine regions in Italy. Many of the wines come from Piedmont and Tuscany. One of the most popular grape varieties that makes white wine is Pinot Grigio. This variety is from the Lombardi region. This variety of grape, also called Pinot Gris when it’s marketed in France, is one of the most popular white wines in the world. It is known for having an extremely light taste, with lots of fruity sweet notes. This is a wonderful wine to enjoy in the hot summer months, and it goes extremely well with seafood, and with chicken. This is a wonderful wine to simply enjoy on its own as well. Sometimes, it is said that the full flavor of the wine doesn’t translate, because it’s produced so quickly.
However, there are vintners who allow the grape to come into full maturity, and the flavors come through. Another grape variety is called Pecorino. Pecorino is truly a white wine, although it is being marketed as a red wine. It’s known for being sharp and acidic. This is a wine that has a bite. This would be great with a hearty meal, such as with seafood, or with a poultry stew.
Sangiovese is a variety that produces many of the popular Italian wines, such as Chianti, and more. This variety is cultivated in the Tuscany region. It’s also used as a base mixture for other wines such as the Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. It boast very sweet and fruity notes. It picks up oak notes, and it produces a high alcohol content. The Italians are very adept at selecting wines that pair well with meals, desserts, or as an appetizer. There are certainly enough grape varieties to meet the needs of any wine enthusiast.