How to Select Italian Wines for Tasting

Fully represent the diverse wine offerings from Italy with a number of distinctive bottles from Calabria to Sicily. To select wines from Italy, explore the classic winemaking regions.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Select a wine from the Piedmont (Piemonte) region of Italy. The province of Piedmont is in the northwest region of Italy and produces meticulously aged and diverse wines. Bottles from this area consist of Barolo, Barbaresco (made from the Nebbiolo grape) and Asti Spumante, a sparkling wine made from the Moscato grape.

2. Provide wine from the Chianti zones of Italy, such as Classico and Montalbano. When buying Chianti wine, look for the black-rooster emblem on bottles indicating its region. Go to Winesfromitaly.com for information about buying such types of Italian wines (see Resources below).

3. Add two bottles of Pinot Grigio to represent this smooth, white Italian wine for your tasting menu. Choose at least one imported from the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. A Pinot Grigio will offer tasters a good choice for a light, white variety with fruit flavors and refreshing scents.

4. Represent the Bardolino red wines from Verona, Italy. These complex wines are made from a blend of grapes, including Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara and Negrara. Such wines can offer an interesting taste due to their unique blend of grapes.

5. Choose a wine to represent Sicily. The Nero d'Avola grape has emerged as a widely successful and popular source for making Sicilian wines. A bottle of Santa Cecilia is one such wine, offering mulberry aromas and hints of pepper and vanilla.

6. Explore the popular winemaking regions of Italy. Focus on two or three of these areas and mirror them in the wines you serve for the tasting.

7. Go to VinoVixenz.com and print out guides to exploring the wine regions of Italy (see Resources below). Knowing more about the different growing regions of Italy will help you to make a more focused wine selection for your wine tasting guests.

8. Select a Sauvignon Blanc from Italy. Make sure it's from the Alto Adige or Friuli areas of Italy to get the best blends. Sauvignon Blanc is a good wine to serve during the springtime because of its heightened herbal characteristics.

Tips & Warnings

• Look for DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) on Italian wine labels. This specifies that the wine was produced under strict regulations and that the bottle has a government seal. These wines are usually mid-to-high level in pricing.

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Resources

• Italian wine regions at VinoVixenz.com.
• Winesfromitaly.com for regional wines.