Italy

Italy is the third largest country in the world in terms of area under vine, following France and China (although in the case of China, less than 20% of that is devoted to wine production and the rest to table grapes). 

Italy has an extraordinary diversity of wine styles, from the aromatic and long-lived Barolo in Piedmont in the North, via the great expressions of the Sangiovese grape in Tuscany – Chianti Classico, Vino Nobile de Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino – to the heavyweight Aglianico del Vulture in the South. And these are only a few of the reds. Italy also produces a huge variety of whites, many neutral in character, but some truly great. From Pinot Grigio in the North through Soave, XX and YY, there is something for most palates.

Wine in Italy is inextricably tied to the culture of food, and the local pairings are often the most satisfying, such as Barolo with a rich rabbit stew.

The sections below describe in further detail the topography of the regions and the other factors that contribute to the character of each area, based particularly on my travels to those areas.