Learning Italian wines in one year is much akin to ‘seeing’ Italy on holiday in a 3 week visit. Yes some famous places will be visited, but the real Italy runs deeper than that.
However in the spirit of learning, I’ve put the regions in ‘an’ order to suggest how the learning might go
• Tuscany & Emilia Romagna & Umbria - explore Sangiovese through very differing interpretations, from the richness of Brunello to the bony structure of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, via Chianti which can go from one extreme to the other. Venture off into Emilia-Romagna and Umbria to taste some less ambitious wines, but also some lesser seen gems. Stay in Tuscany to experience the super-tuscan / international grape wines, plus cleanse the palate with a real Lambrusco and a few slices of salami.
• Veneto - Explore the three (or 4 if you count ripasso) styles of Valpolicella, big Amarone, sweet Recioto and Valpolicella itself. Then hit the whites of Soave, both dry and in their own recioto form. For Soave, Pieropan are a very safe bet, and deserve recognition for carrying the torch through darker times. Personally I prefer Gini, but others will have their own favourites. For the reds, if you see Roccolo Grassi, they’d be my pick for a questing producer with fairly priced wines.
• Piedmont - Yes Barolo and Barbaresco, but don’t ignore Ghemme, Boca, Roero, Gattinara, Langhe Nebbiolo, Lessona etc. (and across the border into Lombardia for Valtellina or up to Donnas/Donnaz in Valle d’Aosta). Many of us find joy in the different styles of Nebbiolo. Then venture out into Barbera, Grignolino, Freisa, Dolcetto, Vespolina, Timorasso, Erbaluce, etc. and you’ll find some under-rated grapes making a fine variety of wines. Too many recommendations on this forum!
• Lombardy - As well as Nebbiolo from Valtellina, the sparklers of Franciacorta hold a lot of interest / prestige. Less so some of the varietal wines of the region, but as ever, there are always great under the radar wines to dig out
• Abruzzo - Primarily Montepulciano (the grape), but there are other good producers of the much maligned Trebbiano slowly emerging. Styles vary from appetising at the cheaper end, to more substantial, but still appetising. Valentini is off the scale, and Pepe seems to be heading there (cheaper in Italy though). Masciarelli are a safe bet, though I’ve not always enjoyed their fancier wines.
• Trentino Alto-Adige - Whites tend to hold sway and there are some great ones, including (remarkably) some very decent Muller-Thurgau. Nosiola from Trentino is rarely seen, but I love it in table wines, dessert wines and grappa form. Pinot Bianco, Moscato Giallo, and plenty more white grapes from a region many see as the home of Italian white wine. Some interesting & different reds including Teroldego, Marzemino and plenty using French grape varieties. Foradori’s basic Teroldego is a great starting point for that grape.
• Friuli-Venezia Giulia - Not solely orange / natural wines, but it’s become what they are best know for. I still find myself intimidated by this region.
• Marche - Try the Verdicchio wines of Metalica / Castelli di Jesi as a start point. Bucci would be a classy place to start
• Puglia - Reds are to the forefront here, from appetising Salice Salentino, to bigger / riper even figgy wines. A personal favourite is Castel Del Monte, with the grape Nero di Troia often to the fore. Some decent whites, but I’ve yet to have anything but dessert wines to excite (e.g. Moscato di Trani). Rivera’s Il Falcone is a wine worth trying, but do also hint out the wines of further south. It’s also a region where blind punts can be very variable but also very successful.
• Lazio - In the words of Manuel of Fawlty Towers “I know nothing!”
• Sicily - Was over-enthused with international wines, and there are still plenty, but only a small number that I find interesting. However interest in the local grapes has been huge over the last 1-2 decades. Etna is the hotbed of interest, but I’d also recommend the Malvasia wines of the Aeolian islands - Hauner is a good producer to start with (and for reds, I love their Hiera - modestly priced, wonderfully appetising and with a hint of the volcanic ground it’s grown on). Cos or Occhipinti might be good starting points
• Sardinia - A huge gap in my knowledge
• Campania - Reds and whites to excite. As a producer, Mastroberardino is a good safe place to start, but do avoid the very cheap wines in their range (e.g. Lacryma Cristi). Taurasi can age brilliantly, but other places also do good aglianico. Don’t ignore the whites, which have surprising freshness and can be wonderful food wines.
• Liguria - In general the wines are off the beaten track. Sciacchetra is a famed ‘mediatation’ wine and Rossese di Dolceacqua and Cinque Terre whites may appeal, but personally I’d file these as ‘try later on the journey’
• Calabria - Again very weak knowledge
• Molise - Tiny, and thus rarely seen. What I’ve tasted has (IIRC) only been various Biferno wines, which at best are brilliantly simple and appetising food wines, but I’ve also had one that slathered cheap oak over it - yuk!
• Basilicata - Little knowledge, but a strong word goes in for Cantina del notaio who makes very interesting and approachable wines, often quite rich in style, but rarely over-blown
• Valle d’Aosta - Very small indeed, but very much worth exploring. Some local grape varieties (and a few french) but for me Fumin is the pick of the bunch (sorry). Stylistically I see it as somewhere between Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo, but rarely is it made as an ambitious wine. Do try if you see, but the wines can be hit & miss, but the climate (and terrain) is necessarily challenging.
Not only does this not even scratch the surface, it’s not even going to take the protective wrapper off. However it should be a fun and exciting journey.
Regards
Ian
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