Italian Red Grapes

The number of different grape types used for winemaking in Italy is overwhelming. Burton Anderson, foremost English language author of books on Italian wine, puts the number at “more than 1,000”. That’s a lot. Even the restrictive regulations in the DOC (denominazione di origine controllata) and IGT (indicazione geografica tipica) specify hundreds of different approved varietals. Furthermore, many grapes have different names in different regions. Some times the names change from clone to clone, and even from town to town. In the last twenty years Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Syrah and other grapes associated more with France than Italy have been planted, at least experimentally, all over Italy. In all this joyous chaos there are some “prototypical” Italian grapes that any wine lover should seek out and experience. The most important of these frequently descend rather directly from ancient traditions and dominate the landscape in their home regions.

The most widely planted Italian varietal is Sangiovese. It is the principle grape of all the famous wines of Chianti, where the grape name seldom appears on a label. However it is also the grape of innumerable everyday table wines of Tuscany, Umbria, and all of central Italy. Stretching to the north, a version known as Sangiovese di Romagna provides a small ocean’s worth of hearty, everyday wine best consumed in its youth. Variants of Sangiovese produce the famous “Brunello” of Montalcino, “Vino Nobile” of Montalpulciano, and “Morellino” of Scansano, each of which uses a different name for their own “finest” clone of Sangiovese. Many important place names indicate Sangiovese blended with other grapes traditional and modern. The most famous of these are Torgiano, Carmignano, and Montefalco Rosso. Wines made from Sangiovese are almost invariable lean and dry. Versions blended with bits of Cabernet or Syrah and aged in small oak barrels are heavier, longer lived, and more complex. All regions seem to have the spectrum, from light wine of the moment, to magnificent collector’s wines.

Nebbiolo, the justly famous red grape of the Piedmont and Lombardy in northern Italy, is rarely named on a label, but it is the only grape used to make Barolo, Barbaresco, Gattinara, Ghemme, and Valtellina. Although not nearly as widely planted as Sangiovese, Nebbiolo is likely better represented in collector’s cellars, as it tends to give powerful, long-lived reds of distinctive character.

Barbera is also common in Italy’s Northern regions. It often grows alongside Nebbiolo, and is sometimes blended with it. The most abundant Barbera wines are zesty and crisp, best drunk young with hearty foods. Top producers have shown that when vinified and aged in the manner of an age-worthy red, Barbera can equal the quality and style of any premium wine.

Aglianico is little know in the U.S. but widely planted in Southern Italy (perhaps 35,000 acres). This grape truly has its seeds in antiquity and is said to be of ancient Greek origin. Giving wines of long-lived power and complex fruit flavor, Aglianico is a major constituent of a host of wines from Campania, Basilicata, Calabria, and Apulia. The most famous to reach us with regularity are Taurasi and Aglianico del Vulture. The grape is said to favor the volcanic slopes common throughout the Southern peninsula and the islands nearby. Even common (read inexpensive) wines of the South are often made with this grape and provide plenty of power and flavor while retaining the traditional acidity to accompany foods.

It may be impossible to get around to all thousand or so Italian varietals, but try to sample these four! -Oh yes, there are wonderful Italian whites as well. Maybe next time.

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