Italian Wines | Prices, Types & Reviews
Written By: Brian Freedman on Tue, Aug 8th 2006
Italy produces as wide a variety of wines as any country in the world. The north-south expanse of the boot is such that any number of grape varieties can grow successfully in Italy, and with improvements in wine-making technology and methods, the quality of Italian wine has never been better than it is right now.
Italy's unique geographic location, with its broad range of soil types and local micro-climates, affords its winemakers the perfect opportunity to grow a dizzying array of grapes and to make a truly astounding selection of wines. And it certainly takes advantage of its geographic good fortune: Italy’s total annual wine production is approximately 1.6 billion gallons, tying it with France as the largest wine-producing country in the world. And fortunately for those of us in the United States, Italy exports 25% of that wine to these shores.
Italy has one of the longest wine-making traditions in the world; grapes have been grown and wine has been made there for more than 4,000 years. In fact, several varieties of vitis vinifera, the European wine grape, were grown by the Greeks in southern Italy and Sicily. Many of those grape varieties are still being vinified today, including Moscato and Aglianico, among others.
That great wine-making tradition continues today, and the wines of Italy run the gamut from sparkling Prosecco and bitter Amarone to sweet Vin Santo and rich Chianti Classico, and virtually every other variety in between. The range of wines produced in Italy is limited only by the grapes that can be successfully grown in each region and the skill and creativity of the winemaker.
More than anything, though, Italy is a country of regionally unique wines. Like so much else when it comes to Italy’s gastronomic cultureâ€â€the cheese, the cured meats, the pastasâ€â€Italian wines are more often than not an expression of the unique and specific aspects of the region in which they are made. And with so much variety, this affords wine connoisseurs the opportunity to experience an almost infinite selection of wines.
Want to find the perfect Italian Wine? Visit our �"Classic Italian Wines at a Classic Price�" feature where we hand pick great tasting Italian Wines!
