Italy Red
Italian Red Wine
Italy makes more red wine, from more native grape varieties, than any other country — several hundred are in commercial use, and most of them grow nowhere else. That is why an Italian wine list reads as place names rather than grape names: the label tells you where it is from, and the region tells you what is in the bottle.
How to read this section
Three regions do most of the work. Piedmont in the north-west is Nebbiolo — Barolo and Barbaresco at the top, Barbera and Dolcetto underneath for everyday drinking. Tuscany is Sangiovese: Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, plus the Bordeaux-blend Super Tuscans that ignore the appellation system entirely. Veneto is Valpolicella and its dried-grape wine, Amarone. Beyond those, Puglia and Sicily in the south give riper, softer, cheaper reds; Piedmont's neighbours and Friuli work at a smaller scale.
What to expect
The through-line in Italian red is acidity. These are wines built for food — the tannin and the acid that can feel severe on their own are exactly what cuts through fat and salt at the table. If you are moving across from New World reds, start with Chianti Classico or Barbera rather than with Barolo.
Serving
Most Italian reds at 16–18°C. Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello and Amarone want decanting an hour or more ahead; everything else can be poured on opening.
Filters
Russiz Superiore Selections Collio Merlot 2016 (1x75cl)
San Felice Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Il Quercione 2011 (1x75cl)
San Felice Rosso di Montalcino DOC 2019 (1x75cl)
Speri Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore 2019 (1x75cl)
UCCELLIERA, Costabate Toscana Sangiovese IGT 2015 Magnum (1x150cl)
Gaja Dagromis Barolo Docg 2018 (1x75cl)
Masseto-Tenuta dell'Ornellaia 2011 (1x75cl)
Bibi Graetz - Colore 2012 (1x75cl)
Bibi Graetz - Colore 2020 (1x75cl)
Tua Rita-Per Sempre 2016 (1x75cl)
Alberelli Di Giodo 2019 (1x75cl)
Michele Chiarlo Cerequio 2018 (1x75cl)
Allegrini La Poja Igt Corvina Verona 2017 (1x75cl)
Ceretto Bernadot Barbaresco Doc 2020 (1x75cl)
Poggio Antico Brunello Di Montalcino Riserva 2017 (1x75cl)
Poggio Antico Montalcino 2021 (1x75cl)
Ca' del Baio "Asili" Barbaresco D.O.C.G. 2019 (1x75cl)
Ca' del Baio Langhe Nebbiolo D.O.C. 2018 (1x75cl)
Ca' del Baio Langhe Nebbiolo D.O.C. 2019 (1x75cl)
Fabio Oberto Barbera d'Alba D.O.C. 2021 (1x75cl)
Fabio Oberto Dolcetto d'Alba D.O.C. 2020 (1x75cl)
Fabio Oberto Dolcetto d'Alba D.O.C. 2021 (1x75cl)
Travaglini Gattinara Riserva D.O.C.G. 2017 (1x75cl)
Travaglini Nebbiolo Coste della Sesia D.O.C. 2022 (1x75cl)
Bertinga "Punta di Adine" Toscana I.G.T. 2016 (1x300cl)
Bertinga "Punta di Adine" Toscana I.G.T. 2017 (1x75cl)
Bertinga "Sassi Chiusi" Toscana I.G.T. 2017 (1x150cl)
Bertinga "Volta di Bertinga" Toscana I.G.T. 2016 (1x150cl)
Bertinga "Volta di Bertinga" Toscana I.G.T. 2016 (1x75cl)
Bertinga Toscana I.G.T. 2016 (1x150cl)
Poderi Boscarelli "Prugnolo" Rosso di Montepulciano D.O.C. 2020 (1x75cl)
Tenuta Monteti "Caburnio" Toscana I.G.T. 2017 (1x75cl)
Tolaini "Gran Selezione" Chianti Classico D.O.C.G. 2018 (1x75cl)
Tolaini "Picconero" Toscana I.G.T. 2019 (1x75cl)
Loredan Gasparini "Capo di Stato" Venegazzu 2016 (1x75cl)
Loredan Gasparini "Capo di Stato" Venegazzu 2017 (1x75cl)
UCCELLIERA, Rapace Toscana IGT 2020 (1x75cl)
UCCELLIERA, Rosso di Montalcino 2021 (1x75cl)
Borgogno Barbera d'Alba Superiore 2019 (1x75cl)
Borgogno Langhe Freisa 2018 (1x75cl)
Bruno Giacosa Nebbiolo d'Alba 2020 (1x75cl)
Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco 18 (1x75cl)
Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili 2019 (1x75cl)
Bruno Giacosa Barolo 2018 (1x75cl)
Camigliano Rosso di Montalcino DOC 2021 (1x75cl)
Camigliano Paesaggio Inatteso Brunello di Montalcino 2018 (1x75cl)
Cesari Amarone Valpolicella Cl DOCG 2018 (1x75cl)
- Featured
- Most relevant
- Best selling
- Alphabetically, A-Z
- Alphabetically, Z-A
- Price, low to high
- Price, high to low
- Date, old to new
- Date, new to old