The Wines of Apulia (Puglia)
More than any other region, Apulia, Italy’s "heel", has seen a shift away from producing a great volume of unremarkable wine, towards smaller quantities of concentrated wines of great character. The region has a long history of co-operative…
The Wines of Campania
The ancient heritage of its vineyards and a great respect for tradition hold the key to Campania’s success in the world of wine. Instead of seeking out international markets by planting Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay, Campania’s…
The Wines of Molise
Despite having three DOCs in Biferno, Pentro di Isernia and Tintilia Molise, as well as the Molise DOC, little is known about Molise wines internationally. Surrounded by Latium, Apulia, Campania and Abruzzo (which encompassed Molise until…
The Wines of Abruzzo
Italy is seldom known for the simplicity of its wines, yet the ruggedly mountainous region of Abruzzo offers an abundance of delightful, uncomplicated wines that tend to represent good value.
The region has three main,…
The Wines of Latium (Lazio)
Historically the vineyards around Rome have been important areas for the production of white wine. The ancient Romans praised the local wines, although it is fabled that Horace most admired the red Falernian and Caecuban from the southern…
The Wines of Marche
The Marche region is well known for the quality of its whites made from the prolific Verdicchio grape. Crisp, fresh Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi wines, easily recognisable from their green amphora bottles, have impressed wine lovers on…
The Wines of Umbria
With neighbours in Marche, Tuscany and Latium, Umbria’s rolling hills are well suited to viticulture. Although its output is less than a third of that of Tuscany, the region is gaining a reputation for unique modern wines at a fraction of…
The Wines of Tuscany (Toscana)
The name of Tuscany is synonymous with its most famous, and probably Italy’s most famous, red wine. Chianti is produced in high volumes and exported worldwide, with a distinctive personality that is difficult to define but that has somehow…
The Wines of Liguria
This slender coastal region lies just south of Piemonte, bordering with France on the West. Although its vineyards are sparse, Liguria has 8 DOC zones and a further 4 IGTs. The best known wine among the DOCs is Cinque Terre, made along the…
The Wines of Emilia Romagna
On the northern peninsula of Italy lies Emilia-Romagna, a sprawling area that, as the name suggests, was once two distinct regions. Within the region are distinctly different climates and soils, from Emilia’s rolling hills in the west,…