Wine Hack #2…Bevi Italiano.

Beloved Italy. In the US, we love Italian food; we dream of travel to Italy. Its history inspires us dating back to the Roman Republic.

The cuisine of Italy is no secret to those of us in the US…and other countries, as well, as I’ve stumbled into good establishments serving Italian-inspired food all over the world. Italy, your pride in your culinary traditions is well deserved!

Many of us who explore Italy and its culture also become familiar with its wines. In my experience, Italy is to wine as Belgium is to beer…it is a veritable journey through Disneyland, through an array of styles and grapes, and diversity.

Last week, I shared my favorite all time wine hack. This week, I’m sharing another great hack, designed to make the experience simple. Wine is a drink of the people, the center of gatherings with family and friends. It doesn’t need to be elite and unapproachable and overly complicated.

So since Italian food is part of our experience, whether in a restaurant, or preparing a meal at home, or ordering takeout…Italian wine can and should be part of that same experience!

Similar to Spanish wines, the store rack or wine list will typically be organized by region within Italy. The predominant wines will be Prosecco for sparkling, Pinot Grigio for white wine, and Chianti for red wine. But there is a big, big world beyond these staples. And I encourage you to explore them! Take a chance on a sub-$20 bottle in retail, and see what you think.

In Italy, there are many good bargains to be had. Prosecco is a wonderful bargain for a sparkling wine.

For white wine (vino bianco), Pinot Grigio from the Trentino Alto-Adige region is a good bet. Verdicchio from the Marche region is a rising star and highly recommended, and the volcanic white wines of Sicily can be quite interesting.

Italian red wines (vino rosso) are very diverse. In the north, one of my favorites is Valpolicella Ripasso. A fresh wine passed over the pomace of the wonderful Amarone wine (made with il metodo appassimento where grapes are partially dried prior to being fermented), it picks up interesting raisiny flavors but at a fraction of the price of Amarone. Also in the north, there is the tannic Nebbiolo grape, although it can be difficult to find at a less-than-$20 price point in retail.

Tuscany or Toscana, the best known region, includes the famous Chianti wines (a location…not a grape), made from Sangiovese. But don’t overlook a wine with “Toscana IGT” on the label. These are often blends of Sangiovese, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon (and some are referred to as “Super Tuscans”), and can be very good wines at their price points.

Then, in central and south Italy, there are many interesting and affordable reds. The workhorse Montepulciano from the Abruzzo region, Aglianico (another tannic grape) from Campania, and Primitivo and Negroamaro from Puglia.

And don’t forget Sicily, with its Nero D’Avola and Nerello Mascalese. Really want something interesting? Try Cannonau from Sardinia.

Any of these bottles can be a good find, and worth checking out to see if you like them. One of the fun parts of shopping for wine is finding something good and interesting at an affordable price point. Italy offers this, over and over.

Are there other Italian wines you like?