How To Pick an Italian Wine

Try wines from Piedmont. Two excellent dry red wines it produces are Barbaresco and Barolo made from the Nebbiolo grape; Asti Spumante also hails from this region in Northwestern Italy.

Seek out wine from Veneto, home to Venice in Northern Italy, for light and simple varietals. White wines include Soave and Prosecco, a sparkling, semi-sweet wine made from the Prosecco grape; Valpolicella and Bardolino are two of its light, red wines.

Sample wine from southern Italy, such as Taurasi, a full-bodied red made from the regional grape, Aglianico. Wines from southern Italy are generally thought of as mediocre, resulting in government incentives for improving quality.

Know the Italian government’s wine classification regulations. A wine labeled DOCG meets the strictest regulations; DOC is the next strictest classification; IGT is classified as excellent value for the cost; and VDT or table wine is the lowest classification.

Pick a Super Tuscan. Developed by winemakers in the late 1970s in Tuscany, Super Tuscans are a blend of Sangiovese and French grapes. They are considered some of Italy’s best wines.