5 Italian Wines You Have to Try

December 2019
Written By: 
James Ginley

Add these selections from the world’s largest wine producer to your list

I Veroni Iveronirosé 2017
Tuscany, Italy, $16

100 percent Sangiovese, and one of the best Rosé offerings from Italy, this selection is fermented with the skins on for 48 hours, then aged in steel tanks. The aroma is red fruits, violet and roses, with juicy hints of pomegranate, dried herbs and soft tannins in the mouth. Great food choices for this wine are seafood, sushi, veggies and pasta dishes. A gastronomic Rosé!

Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio 2017
Alto Adige, Italy, $18

You will see this bestselling Pinot Grigio on more wine lists than any other. It’s drier than most, and that’s what makes it popular in its category. An intense aroma of crisp apples, with a hint of spice, leads to layers of white stone fruits and balanced acidity. An all-purpose wine, it’s ready to enjoy with seafood or veggie antipasti, fried fish or pasta in a light sauce.

Bacio della Luna Blanc de Blancs Millesimato 2017
Veneto, Italy, $13

This extra dry Spumante, straw yellow in color, has a delicate and fruity bouquet. The taste is light and spritzy, as an Italian sparkling wine should be, although lighter than Champagne. Simple, easy to enjoy and a good choice for seafood dishes. Surprisingly, it’s made from Chardonnay grapes, and alcohol is just 11 percent (so you can have another glass)!

Gergenti Il Vero Siciliano 2016
Sicily, $22

Tired of Chianti? Try this blend of three grapes from Sicily that hang on the vine longer to achieve maximum concentration and add elegance, juiciness, intensity and texture. There’s a spicy overtone from six months in oak barrels that adds to the ruby red color. Fruity, generous and robust, this is a perfect wine to accompany barbequed meats, pork and sausage, pasta dishes and ripe cheeses. It drinks like a $50 wine!

Luigi Righetti Amarone della Valpolicella 2016
Veneto, Italy, $33

To be a true Amarone, the grapes are left on the vine until they shrivel, or dried on mats so there is very little water remaining—just concentrated, rich flavor. The result is complex aromas of dried fruit, resin and baking spice. This selection is a blend of rich black fruits, crushed violets and a bit of tobacco, with fine tannins on the palate. A robust wine, with a long, smooth finish, it pairs well with braised beef or rack of lamb. Bravo!

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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF THE WINERIES

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