Regions
Although vines had been cultivated from the wild Vitis vinifera grape for millennia, it wasn’t until the Greek colonization that wine-making flourished. Viticulture was introduced into Sicily and southern Italy by the Mycenaean Greeks, and was well established when the extensive Greek colonization transpired around 800 BC.
It was during the Roman defeat of the Carthaginians (acknowledged masters of wine-making) in the 2nd century BC that Italian wine production began to further flourish. Large-scale, slave-run plantations sprang up in many coastal areas and spread to such an extent that, in AD 92, emperor Domitian was forced to destroy a great number of vineyards in order to free up fertile land for food production.
During this time, viticulture outside of Italy was prohibited under Roman law. Exports to the provinces were reciprocated in exchange for more slaves, especially from Gaul where trade was intense, according to Pliny, due to the inhabitants being besotted with Italian wine, drinking it unmixed and without restraint. It was customary to mix wine with a good proportion of water which may otherwise have been unpalatable, making wine drinking a fundamental part of early Italian life.
As the laws on provincial viticulture were relaxed, vast vineyards began to flourish in the rest of Europe, especially Gaul (present day France) and Hispania. This coincided with the cultivation of new vines, like Biturica (ancestor of Cabernet). These vineyards became hugely successful, to the point that Italy ultimately became an import centre for provincial wines.
Depending on the vintage, modern Italy is the world’s largest or second largest wine producer. In 2005, production was about 20% of the global total, second only to France, which produced 26%. In the same year, Italy’s share in dollar value of table wine imports into the U.S. was 32%, Australia’s was 24%, and France’s was 20%. Along with Australia, Italy’s market share has rapidly increased in recent years.
Abruzzo
Abruzzo (Abruzzi) is an Italian wine region located in the mountainous central Italian region of Abruzzo along the Adriatic Sea. It is bordered by the…
View RegionCampania
Campania, the “shin” of Italy’s boot, is the wine growing area around Naples where, since Roman times, vines have thrived in the volcanic soils. This…
View RegionLazio
Lazio is a ‘Central’ wine region bordering Tuscany, Umbria and Marche to the north, Abruzzo to the east and Campania to the south. The region is mainly flat and…
View RegionPiedmonte
The North West region of Piedmonte is Italy’s pre-eminent area, making top wines such as Barolo and Gavi and showcasing grape varietals such as Cortese,…
View RegionPuglia
Puglia is a long, thin wine region in the far South-East; the ‘heel’ of Italy‘s boot. The region is responsible for almost half of Italy’s…
View RegionSicily
Much of Sicily lies at a more southerly latitude than Tunisia, and it is the hottest, driest region of Italy. Sicily is Italy’s up and…
View RegionTuscany
Tuscany is a major region around Florence and Sienna. It is best known for Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano which are primarily…
View RegionVeneto
Veneto in the North East is the home of some of Italy’s most famous names – Soave, Valpolicella, Bardolino – but also the region growing…
View RegionProducts from this country
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View moreSerarossa Pinot Grigio Blush
ItalyA Pinot Grigio Blush/Rose wine from Northern Veneto. The Pinot Grigio grapes are carefully…
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View moreSerarossa Pinot Grigio
ItalyThe Pinot Grigio grapes are carefully picked up by hand in mid-September. Each vineyard…
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View moreGemin Prosecco DOC Extra Dry – 20cl
ItalyGemin have become synonymous with the best quality Prosecco - deeply committed on quality…
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View moreMiopasso Primitivo
ItalyA very approachable Primitivo intense aromas and great personality. Sourced from selected vineyards in…
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View moreFeudo Italia Rosso
ItalyFeudo, a rebranding of the Cornale ‘house’ range, is a wine that embodies both…
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View moreFeudo Italia Bianco
ItalyFeudo Italia wines provide a perfect entry level that embodies both tradition and modernity.…
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View moreGemin Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Extra Dry
ItalyThe most celebrated of Proseccos come from the hillside vineyards of Conegliano Valdobbiadene, the…
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View moreBuon Bosco Prosecco Brut
ItalyBuon Bosco comes from a winery at Visnà di Vazzola in the hills between…
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View moreLa Prima Prosecco Spumante
ItalyLa Prima Spumante Extra Dry DOC is a superb value, extremely versatile sparkling wine…
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View moreMionetto Vivo Rose
ItalyWhilst Prosecco continues its dominance of the global sparkling market, there is a development…
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View moreFalanghina ‘Taburno’, Cantine Iorio
ItalyFalanghina is a characterful grape, one of the native varietals of the region that…
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View moreAglianico del Sannio, Cantine Iorio
ItalyAglianico is a specialty grape of Campania, where it prefers the volcanic soils, and…
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View moreGavi, Poderi della Collinetta
ItalyGavi is, perhaps, Italy's most fashionable white and certainly the most famous example of…
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View moreBarbera Cornale
ItalyA fine example of the famous grape Barbera from its homeland of Piedmont where…
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View moreDolcetto del Alba, Poderi della Collinetta
ItalyDolcetto ‘little sweet one’ is a major grape of Piedmonte - the everyday wine of the…
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View moreBarolo Poderi della Colinetta
ItalyBarolo is “the king of wines and the wine of kings”. A full-bodied, dry taste that’s…
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View moreChianti Volpetto
ItalyVolpetto is a well structured and full bodied, lively and intense Chianti - the…
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View moreChianti Riserva Volpetto
ItalyVolpetto Chianti Riserva has 12 months in oak, a highly concentrated bouquet, is well…
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View moreMontepulciano Ca ‘Brigiano
ItalyMontepulciano d’Abruzzo which is made from the Montepulciano grape in the Abruzzo region is…
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View moreDea del Mare Catarratto / Pinot Grigio
ItalyCatarratto is the major white grape of Sicily, making in second to Trebbiano as…
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View moreDea del Mare Pinot Grigio
ItalyThe warmer and sunnier Sicily gives a more rounded style of Pinot Grigio than…
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View moreMiopasso Fiano
ItalyFiano is an aromatic and strongly flavoured grape from the south of Italy. It…
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View moreMiopasso Nero d’Avola
ItalyA robust Nero d'Avola: some of the grapes have been air dried bringing an…
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View moreRocca Bastia Chardonnay
ItalyThe well traveled Chardonnay grape produced full and fresh wines when grown in the…
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View moreI Gadi – Pinot Grigio
ItalyI Gadi is a lovely full and rich style premium Pinot Grigio with a…
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View moreCorte Pitora Pinot Grigio
ItalyCorte Pitora is a premium Pinot Grigio for those looking for a more traditional…
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View moreSoave Libet ‘Soraighe’, DOC
ItalyCasa Vinicola Bennati is an old established house, founded in 1920 by Annibale Bennati,…
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View moreDea del Mare Pinot Grigio Rosé
ItalyA delicately coloured, great value Pinot Grigio Blush; fruity but not too sweet. Dea…
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View moreBardolino La Quercia – Chiaretto
ItalyChiaretto is a dry and crisp rosé wine made from red wine grapes using…
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View moreRocca Bastia Merlot
ItalyMerlot is the 5th most widely planted grape variety in Italy and the north…
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View moreBardolino Classico ‘Corte Pitora’
ItalyBardolino is closely associated with the beautiful landscape around Lake Garda, with the region…
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View moreValpolicella Classico I Gadi, DOC
ItalyThe grapes - Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara, for Valpolicella Classico are sourced from this…
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View moreValpolicella Superiore Ripasso ‘Soraighe’, DOC
ItalyCasa Vinicola Bennati has from its outset been devoted to producing the local wine…
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View moreAmarone della Valpolicella Elite, DOCG
ItalyCasa Vinicola Bennati has from its outset been devoted to producing the local wine…
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View moreAmarone della Valpolicella Cerasum, DOCG
ItalyCasa Vinicola Bennati has from its outset been devoted to producing the local wine…
