Italian Wine 101: Key Regions and Grape Varietals

Wine Guide with Cork & Fizz - Wine education for beginners and enthusiasts

Ep 94

Ever felt lost in a sea of Italian wines with their complex names and regions? With their 384,000 wineries, 1.8 million acres of vineyards, and over 590 catalogued grape varieties, it’s no wonder if you do!

Over the next several episodes we are going to do a deep dive into Italian wine! And in today’s podcast, we are doing an overview of how to read the labels on Italian wine bottles, the Italian wine classification system, and the 5 key wine regions in Italy. We will dive into the climate, geography, grape varietals and best known wines in Piedmont, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Tuscany, and Sicily.

We will learn about a landscape that is rich with centuries of viticulture, diverse grape varieties, and chaotic flavors. So, if you are ready to dive into the complexities of Italian wine, this episode is for you!

Episode Highlights:

• Overview of Italian wine regions

• How to read Italian wine labels

• Explanation of the Italian wine classification system - DOCG, DOG, IGT and VdT

• Overview of Piedmont’s geography and climate

• Key grapes in Piedmont - Nebbiolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Moscato, Brachetto, and Cortese

• Overview of Friuli-Venezia Giulia’s geography and climate

• Key wines in Friuli-Venezia Giulia - Pinot Grigio, Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Sauvignon Blanc, Refosco, and Schioppettino

• Overview of Veneto’s geography and climate

• Key wines in Veneto - Prosecco, Garganega (Soave), Valpolicella Blend such as Corvina, Corvinone, and Amarone della Valpolicella

• Overview of Tuscany’s geography and climate

• Key wines in Tuscany - Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

• Key grapes in Tuscany - Sangiovese, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Bland, Terbbiano, and Vermentino

• Overview of Sicily’s geography and climate

• Key grapes in Sicily - Grillo, Catarratto, Riesling, Nero d’Avola, Nerello Mascalese and Frappato

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