Top Ten Italian Red Wines

Italian reds have become famous all over the world, characterized by their intense structures, rich perfumes and distinctive personalities, often derived from the peninsula’s characterful native grape varieties.

Here are ten of the best that every wine lover needs to experience at least once in their lifetime.

1. Barolo & Barbaresco, Piemonte

In another world, these would be considered the same wine region — like the left and right banks of Bordeaux, or the Cote de Nuits and the Cote de Beaune in Burgundy — so we’ll treat them together. Both based on Nebbiolo, both subject to years of ageing in wood before release, there is no doubting the uniqueness and beauty of these Piemontese wines.

What do Barolo and Barbaresco taste like?
There are differences between vineyards and producers but in general both regions give wines with orange-tinged colors, notes of mushroom, truffle, nutmeg and dried red fruits, with assertive tannins and good acidity. New oak use is much diminished compared to the early 2000s, with most wines now aged in older or neutral casks. Most wines benefit from extensive ageing in bottle and often from decanting before drinking as well. Don’t ignore the good value Langhe Nebbiolo category either.

Some producers to look out for: 
In Barolo: Giacomo Conterno, Giuseppe Rinaldi, Bruno Giacosa, GD Vajra, Bartolo Mascarello, Giuseppe Mascarello, Cavallotto, GB Burlotto
In Barbaresco: Produttori del Barbaresco, Rizzi, Gaja, Marchese di Gresy, Roagna

2. Brunello di Montalcino

One of Italy’s most famous wines, the Brunello clone of Sangiovese was famously preserved through the 20th century by the family of Biondi-Santi when the region was out of fashion, before the 1980s and 1990s brought Brunello to international fame. Among the most complex, rich and long-lived wines of Tuscany, Brunello generally offers richer wines than Chianti Classico to its north.

What does Brunello di Montalcino taste like?
This famous Sangiovese tends to show off the darker side of the variety, with notes of dried red and black fruits, tar, toast, smoke, tea leaves, liquorice and aged balsamic vinegar. Alcohols are usually on the higher side, and the tannins are assertive, so these wines pair best with substantial food.

Some producers to look out for: 
Biondi-Santi, Il Maronetto, Sesti, Poggio di Sotto, Gianni Brunelli, Argiano, Conti Costanti, Cupano, Baricci

3. Etna Rosso, Sicily

A modern success story for Italian wine, the cultivation of Etna only began seriously in the early part of the 21st century. While producers like Benanti have been here since the 1980s, many of the major names, such as Graci and Terre Nere, started in the early 2000s. Nerello Mascalese is king, although sometimes small amounts of the darker and more robust Nerello Capuccio are also blended in. The wines can age but are often better enjoyed within the first five years after the vintage. The more intense and serious Contrada wines are the top bottlings of many wineries and represent the peak of ambition on the volcano.

What does Etna Rosso taste like?
Fresh red fruits - cherries and strawberries — with notes of fennel and orange zest counterpointed by a rocky, mineral dimension. Quite light in body with crisp acidity and fine tannins. Often very lightly oaked, if at all.

Some producers to look out for: 
Benanti, Terre Nere, Graci, Pietradolce, Passopisciaro, Frank Cornellissen, Emiliano Falsini, Tenuta Tascante, Girolamo Russo 

4. Chianti Classico, Tuscany

The cypress-spiked hills of Chianti Classico are some of the most beautiful anywhere in the world. In the past thirty years, the quality of the wines has come to match the scenery, and they are now one of the smartest buys in Italian wine. Wines come in Annata, Riserva and Gran Selezione classifications. The best place to start is the Annata, which captures the spirit of the vintage and gives the best insight into what to expect from the estate’s more expensive wines.

What does Chianti Classico taste like?
Based on Sangiovese, this large region has a variety of sub-regions, some of which make powerful, dark and brooding wines that need age and food, others of which make delicate, silky reds of immediate charm. It’s best to do a little research or speak to a sommelier or wine merchant for their advice on individual styles, rather than tackle this large and varied region at random, but the best wines display Sangiovese’s signature notes of red fruit, spice, firm tannins and tangy, tomatoey acidity.

Some producers to look out for: 
Querciabella, Volpaia, Fontodi, Badia a Coltibuono, Montevertine, Istine, Isole e Olena, Felsina

5. Bolgheri, Tuscany

The origin of the Super Tuscan movement began here with Sassicaia, a top-quality wine that didn’t qualify for DOC or DOCG status because Tenuta San Guido used French varieties (like Cabernet Sauvignon) to make it, contrary to the regulations at the time. Sassicaia inspired a host of other producers to follow their example, and even influenced many producers in other areas, such as Chianti Classico and Montalcino, to add French varieties to some or all their wines.

What does Bolgheri taste like?
Perhaps surprisingly, not quite like red Bordeaux, despite the reliance on Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Many have a distinctly savory, dried herb character alongside a ripeness of fruit that situates them somewhere between classic 20th century red Bordeaux and the less bombastic wines of Napa.

Some producers to look out for:
San Guido (Sassicaia), Grattamacco, Guado al Tasso, Ornellaia (inc. Masseto), Michele Satta, Fabio Motta, Sette Cieli, Argentiera, Le Macchiole

6. Valpolicella Classico, Veneto 

The Corvina grape is the basis for three great Italian red wines, each of which is great in a different way: Valpolicella Classico, Amarone della Valpolicella and Recioto della Valpolicella. 

With Valpolicella, Italy offers up one of the most straightforwardly enjoyable, everyday Italian reds for tomato-based sauces, or drinking chilled on a hot day. Amarone, on the other hand, is a bold, rich, celebratory wine with high alcohol that is distinctly wintry and best with food. Recioto, Amarone’s rare, expensive sweet counterpart, is one of the great pairings for chocolate. Most producers who make one of these wines make all three.

What does Valpolicella taste like?
In its most straightforward form, it’s got high acidity, notes of red cherries and strawberries, sometimes the flavor of fresh tomatoes and delicate tannins. In more concentrated versions like Amarone and Recioto, the wines are marked more heavily by their ageing, and wood and age-derived flavors of coffee, toast, chocolate and balsamic vinegar.

Some producers to look out for:
Quintarelli, Bertani, Allegrini, Speri, Guerrieri-Rizzardi, Tedeschi, Dal Forno Romano, Tommasi, Masi

7. Sagrantino di Montefalco, Umbria

The Sagrantino grape is native to Montefalco in Umbria and is one of the most intense red grapes on the Italian peninsula, with abundant color, tannins and acidity. As such, it’s not for the faint-hearted and demands substantial food. The wines are often aged for a long time in oak, and repay many years, even decades, of bottle-ageing before reaching maturity, although some producers are working hard to produce earlier-drinking examples.

What does Sagrantino di Montefalco taste like?
Dark chocolate, damsons, dried blackberry and woody herbs like rosemary and bay are often present in the aromatic flavor profile of Sagrantino wines, as well as notes of toast, coffee and tobacco thanks to substantial ageing in the bottle

Some producers to look out for:
Paolo Bea, Arnaldo-Caprai, Adanti, Tabarrini

8. Primitivo, Puglia

One of the great success stories of Italian winemaking, Primitivo has become the signature grape variety of Puglia, the southernmost region of Italy’s Adriatic coast. As a variety, Primitivo ripens unevenly, meaning that the wines often have both ripe, over-ripe and under-ripe elements. The best quality wines are from Manduria and Gioia del Colle. Alcohols tend to hover around 15%, with modest acidity and tannins.

What does Primitivo taste like?
When made in the commercially popular appassimento style, Primitivo wines are often slightly sweet, with Port-like flavors of dried fruit. Many of the best wines, however, are vinified dry, allowing the variety’s signature flavors of dried plums and caramelized figs to come through.

Some producers to look out for:
Fatalone, Gianfranco Fino, Polvanera, Giovanni Aiello, Quiles, Mocavera

9. Montepulciano, Abruzzo

Although Montepulciano has made a name for itself as an easy-drinking red wine, there is real potential in the variety when taken seriously. That doesn’t necessarily mean applying the typical formula of extended oak ageing common to many top Italian red wines. In fact, Montepulciano benefits from a lighter touch, with less oak and sometimes none at all, allowing its fruit to shine.

What does Montepulciano taste like?
At its purest, Montepulciano has intense fruit flavors of blackberry, blueberry and black cherry, sometimes with appealing herbals nuances of pinecone, and earthier spices such as liquorice as well. Expect relatively soft acidity and pleasantly grippy tannins too.

Some producers to look out for:
Valentini, Tiberio, Emidio Pepe, I Fauri, Giulia Cataldi Madonna, Marina Cvetic, Masciarelli, Torre dei Beati, Fattoria Nicodemi

10. Taurasi, Campania

Made from the Aglianico grape, also found in nearby Basilicata, Taurasi is one of the greatest expressions of this variety which produces wines of intensity and depth, particularly on volcanic soils. The first DOCG in southern Italy in 1993, it was shepherded through the volatile post-war period largely thanks to the Mastroberardino winery, who worked tirelessly to promote and preserve Aglianico in Taurasi. Wines must be aged for three years, including one year in wood and often repay many years in bottle before broaching. Lighter examples with less ageing are now available under the relatively new Campi Taurasini designation.

What does Taurasi taste like?
Winery practices vary, with both large and small barrels widely used, and a variety of microclimates. In general, Taurasi will be deeply colored, with aromas of blackberry and dark fruits, often with distinctly resinous herbal notes like juniper and rosemary oil. Many wines have high acidity and abundant tannins and finish with distinctive charcoal and toast notes.

Some producers to look out for:
Mastroberardino, Salvatore Molettieri, Feudi di San Gregorio, Perillo, Antonio Caggiano, Cantine Lonardo, Rocca del Principle, Luigi Tecce, Tenuta Cavalier Pepe