Somm's Table

Need a place to start in getting to know French wines? Here is your cheat sheet for the major regions, their grapes, and their attributes, as well as labeling terms. We're taking a snapshot look at Champagne, Burgundy, including Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Rhône, Alsace, and the Loire.

Today I’m continuing the new year back to basics with a look at French wine essentials.

We kicked off 2020 with a look at Italian wine essentials, and luckily France has a far more manageable number of regions to get to know than Italy. Still, today we’ll cover seven of the most famous major regions to keep things manageable. I will also be updating this page from time to time, as I add new content.

Before we get to know the zone though, let’s cover a few other essential details that will hopefully come in handy when picking out a bottle of French wine.

LABELING

Naming

In France naming almost always goes by the region (as opposed to in Italy, where it can be by region or grape or a combo, or in the New World where we usually label by grape.) So while the bottle might say “Burgundy,” for example, it’s assumed that the buyer would know that a red wine from this region is made of Pinot Noir, and a white wine is made of Chardonnay.

The Quality Pyramid(s)

There are three tiers in the general French quality pyramid. From the top down they are:

AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) – This indicates geographical origin of the wine, and wines must also adhere to certain quality standards and general style to receive the status. This might include grapes, yields, and alcohol level among other things. The Europe-wide equivalent of AOC is AOP (Appellation d'Origine Protégée).

VdP (Vin de Pays) – means 'wine of the land'.This category focuses on geographical origin rather than style and tradition, and gives winemakers more freedom than allowed under AOC rules. Its Europe-wide equivalent is IGP (Indication Géographique Protégée).

VdF (Vin de France) – is the most basic tier. (It replaced the Vin de Table category in 2010.) It’s the least regulated category, but also the least used. VdF wines can be made from grapes grown anywhere in France, and the labels don’t mention a specific region of origin, and vintage and grape variety may or may not be included.

Beyond this, different regions have different ways of indicating further quality tiers. Many have levels of “crus”, but the ways they’re implemented vary from place to place; for example, rank might be applied by the vineyard, village, château, etc. I’ve done my best to give an overview by region below where applicable.

Beyond this, different regions have different ways of indicating further quality tiers. Many have levels of “crus”, but the ways they’re implemented vary from place to place; for example, rank might be applied by the vineyard, village, château, etc. I’ve done my best to give an overview by region below where applicable.

See this article on Wine Searcher for additional labeling terms.

KEY REGIONS

Champagne

A selection of Champagnes I've recently enjoyed in different styles: Marc Hebrart Brut Primier Cru, Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Sélection Belles Anées Blanc de Blancs Brut, Dhondt-Grellet Les Terres Fines Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Extra Brut, Pierre Gerbais L'Audace Brut Nature, Launois Cuvée Reserve Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne.

Let’s kick things off with a festive note and the diva of the sparkling wine world. This diva, however, doesn’t live in the most forgiving of climates. Located about an hour’s train ride from Paris, Champagne is France’s northernmost wine region. so it gets quite cold here. It’s also situated inland, giving it a continental climate. It’s famous for its chalky soils, and the elaborate caves of many big Champagne houses have been carved out of these chalky soils.

Star Grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier

Supporting Players: You don’t hear about them that often, but there are actually other grapes allowed in the Champagne blend: Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Petit Meslier and Arbane.

Key Areas: Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs, Côte de Sézanne, and The Aube. You don’t tend to see these in prominent position on labels as much at the moment, because traditionally producers have blended grapes from many areas. However, there is growing interest in terroir driven Champagne, so it’s possible you might start to see them more often in the future.

Other Imports Factors: Champagne is made via the traditional method, which means there are two fermentations, and the second fermentation that creates the bubbles occurs in bottle.

Knowing the sweetness scale terms is useful for finding a bottle you like or that suits your purposes:

Brut Nature/ Brut Zero 0-3 g/l RS

Extra Brut 0-6 g/l RS

Brut 0-12 g/l RS

Extra Dry 12-17 g/l RS

Dry 17-32 g/l RS

Demi-Sec 32-50 g/l RS

Doux 50+ g/l RS

Extra Credit: Champagne has a couple of still wine appellations: Rosé de Riceys and Coteaux Champenois.

Champagne is always a perfect accompaniment to a cheese plate! Pictured here is a Brut from Henriot.

Posts Related to Champagne:

Just a Little Bit Fancy: Delamotte Brut Rosé Champagne & Crudo

Bubbles, Books, & a Bloomy Rind: Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut with a Good Read and a Cheese Board

The Ladies of Laurent-Perrier and An Anniversary Toast

Champagne Dames, Lamiable Extra Brut, and a Hot Cheesy Mess

5 Champagne Toasts

The Big 10, Champagne, Burgundy, and #OTBN

4-Layer Caviar Dip with Potato Chips and Other Happy New Year's Appies!

Bordeaux

A selection of Bordeaux bottles, mostly from dinner parties. Thanks to all who poured us baller bottles: Top: Ch. Smith Haut Lafitte Pessac-Leognan 2012, Ch. Leoville-Las Cases Clos du Marquis Saint-Julien 1996. Bottom: Ch. Kirwan Margaux 2010, Ch. La Graviere Blanc Entre-deux-Mers 2018, Ch. Haut Bergeron L'Ilot de Haut-Bergeron Sauternes 2016.

Bordeaux has pretty much been always been “a thing” thanks to its clutch location as a port on the Atlantic Ocean, so the business of wine has always been as visible here as the craft of wine. International entities are big players in the region, and the en primeur system, which is essentially a futures market, can give the impression that these wines are more like stocks than something to drink. In between all the hullabaloo of the region’s famous châteaux, there are smaller producers making affordable wines as well.

Star Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc.

Supporting Players: Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Carmenere. White wines from the region are from Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Muscadelle.

Key Areas: The Gironde estuary begins at the meeting point of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers, which then gives way to the Atlantic Ocean. The bodies of water form the framework for understanding the region, dividing it into its major subregions: the Left Bank (which splits into the Médoc and Graves); the Right Bank (the most famous sub-regions are Pomerol and Saint-Emilion); and Entre-Deux-Mer is the land in between the Garonne and Dordogne rivers. The grapes don’t really change, but they flip in importance depending on where you are. Cabernet Sauvignon is king on the Left Bank and tends to play greater importance in the blends there. Meanwhile, Merlot drives the blends of the Right Bank, often with an assist from Cab Franc. In general, the other red grapes, serve as “seasoning” throughout the region. Entre-Deux-Mer is the main area for white wine production and is the home of the region’s famous dessert wines, such as Sauternes.

Other Important Factors: In Bordeaux, it’s all about the château. Cru status is awarded to the winery, rather than to the vineyard or village. Things get a little confusing here too because the different subsections have different cru systems. That said, the classification system is of most particular importance on the Left Bank, where the châteaus were ranked into 5 tiers of growths or crus. Napoleon III created the rankings in 1855 and they haven’t changed much since. There has been only one change to the 1st Growths in all of that time when Château Mouton Rothschild joined Châteaus Latour, Lafite Rothschild, Margaux, and Haut-Brion after years of petitioning and work.

BDX Blanc has a little more texture than a lot of other styles of Sauvignon Blanc thanks to the other grapes, as well as the winemaking, so it can handle foods with a little more texture as well, like this chicken with gravy and bacon.

Chateau La Graviere Blanc Entre-deux-Mers 2018

Posts Related to Bordeaux:

Burgundy

We love Burgundy, but have to admit that they're not usually in our budget. We get exited whenever we get the chance though!: Top: Domaine Faively Bourgogne Rouge,
Domaine Jean Grivot Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2014, Domaine Francois Mikulski Meursault Meix Chavaux 2017 . Middle: Dujac Fils et Père Morey St. Denis 2017, Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Santenay Vieilles Vignes Ceps Centenaires 2017, Domaine Henri Delagrange Volnay Vieilles Vignes 2013. Bottom: Moillard Clos des Chênes Volnay Premier Cru, Domaine Celine et Laurent Tripoz Bourgogne Rouge Chant de la Tour, Domaine Leflaive Pouilly-Fuisse 2015,

Located south of Champagne, Burgundy has a similarly cold, continental climate. In one sense it’s among the easiest wine regions to get a handle on, as you’re generally talking about two grapes. On the other hand, this is TERROIR central, definitely all caps. Burgundy can frustrate and beguile in equal measure and you can easily spend a lifetime studying it alone.

Star Grapes: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

Key Areas: From north to south the major subregions are Chablis, the Côte-d’Or (which is split into the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune), the Côte Chalonnaise, and the Mâconnais. The most famous vineyards in Burgundy – the Grand Crus – are all located in the Côte-d’Or, but there are good values to be found in the Côte Chalonnaise and the Mâconnais. Chablis kind of marches to the beat of its own drummer in terms of style, which is much leaner and steelier than the rest of the region.

Other Imports Factors: It’s all about the terroir in Burgundy. Their Cru hierarchy is organized around the vineyards, and you usually have many producers making wines from the same vineyard. Each grower might own just a few rows. From the top down their quality pyramid levels are Grand Cru (such as Clos de Vougeot, Corton, and Montrachet), Premier Cru (such as Volnay and Vosne Romanée), village (like Meursault, Morey-Saint-Denis, and Santenay), and regional wines. See this useful guide on Wine Searcher to understanding labels from Burgundy.

Extra Credit: There are always exceptions in wine, even in Burgundy which is so hyper-focused on two grapes. You’ll also find Gamay, Aligoté, and Saint-Bris is an appellation dedicated to wines made from Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris. Pinot and Chard so dominate in the region though, that they’re more like cameo appearances than supporting players.

This Domaine Savary Chablis paired beautifully with Scallops and Brussels Sprouts.

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Beaujolais

Marcel Lapierre Morgon 2017 and Jean-Louis Dutraive Domaine de la Grand'Cour La Part des Grives Fleurie 2015 . Morgon and Fleurie are two of the Crus of Beaujolais.

Beaujo, as a wine region, is often counted as the southernmost part of Burgundy, but it’s also governmentally a part of the Rhône. Yeah, that’s weird. It’s also known for a different grape than Burgundy, so we’ll go ahead and count it as it’s own thing for our purposes here. The red wines tend to be light to medium bodied and are extremely food friendly.

Star Grape: Gamay

Supporting player: Chardonnay. If you see a Beaujolais Blanc, Chard would be the grape.

Key Areas: Beaujolais has a few quality tiers. You have the base level regional Beaujolais, and Beaujolais Villages is a step up from that. Then the are the Beaujolais Crus –– 10 villages that have proven their quality over time, and get to have their names appear on the label instead of Beaujolais. They are: Brouilly, Côte de Brouilly, Régnié, Morgon, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Moulin-a-Vent, Chenas, Julienas, and Saint-Amour.

Other Important Factors: Nouveau. The famous harvest wines that are released the third Thursday of every year helped make a name for the region, but they’re not all the region is about. These wines are made using a technique called carbonic-maceration that makes for fresh, fruity, easy drinking wines intended for early consumption. They can be fun, but the Crus also produce elegant, more serious wines.

Beaujolais Cru is super versatile. Here I paired a bottle of Domaine Lucien Lardy Moulin-a-Vent Les Thorins 2017 with leftover salmon with cauliflower gnocchi and veggies. If you're looking for reds to pair with seafood, Beaujolais are a go-to because the tannins tend to not be too intense.

Posts Related to Beaujolais:

Rhône

Not going to lie to you, I have a major soft spot of the Rhône. My “epiphany wine,” was a Chateauneuf-du-Pape and the region is still a favorite. The Rhône Valley follows the Rhône River and is split into major sub-zones – north and south. One of the major factors differentiating the two zones is that the Northern Rhône specializes more specifically on certain grapes, while the Southern Rhône is all about blends.

Northern Rhône

Domaine Vincent Paris Cornas Granit 60 2011, Maison Nicolas Perrin Condrieu 2010, and Domaine Jamet Cote Rotie 2007.

Star Grapes: Syrah – all of the Northern Rhône’s red wines are based on it. White wines are based on Viognier, Marsanne, and/or Roussanne depending on the appellation.

Key Areas: St. Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, Cornas, Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu and Château Grillet (both white only), and St. Péray are the 8 crus of the Northern Rhône. There’s not an official hierarchy among these appellations, but for red wines Hermitage, Cornas, and Côte-Rôtie tend to be highly prized, while you’re likely to find more value options in St. Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage.

Extra Credit: In some areas, like Côte-Rôtie, the red wines are co-fermented with a little bit of their white wines.

Southern Rhône


Famille Perrin Gigondas La Gille 2016 . This bottle is a sample and still waiting to be opened, but the Perrin wines are pretty reliably great buys.

Star Grapes: The Southern Rhône is all about the blends and the star red grapes are Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre often referred to together as “GSM” blends.

Supporting Players: Quite a few more grapes are allowed in the blends of the region though. Chateauneuf-du-Pape, for example, has a total of 13 permitted grapes.

Key Areas: There are 9 crus in the Southern Rhône that sit at the top of their quality pyramid:
Beaumes de Venise, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Lirac, Rasteau, Tavel, Vacqueyras, Vinsobres, and Cairanne. Chateauneuf-du-Pape is the star appellation of the Southern Rhône, followed up by Gigondas and Vacqueras. Appellations like Rasteau and Lirac aren’t as famous, but can present excellent values for that very reason. Côtes-du-Rhône is the regional appellation (technically this can cover the Northern Rhône too, but in practice most are from the south.) Côtes-du-Rhône Villages is a step up in quality, and few villages get to append their name on the label, taking them one my step up the ladder.

Clos du Joncuas Vacqueyras La Font de Papier

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Alsace

All kinds of Alsace!: Domaine Paul Blanck Pinot Gris 2016, Domaine Weinbach Riesling Clos des Capucins Cuvee Theo, Schoffit Riesling Rangen de Thann Clos Saint-Theobald 2016, and Valentin Zusslin Cremant d'Alsace Brut.

Heading up to northern France again for a moment to Alsace, another of my soft spots. Alsace is on the border with Germany and was historically caught in a tug of war between the two countries. As a result, this area shows a blend of cultural influences from the two as well. Alsace is also the one region in France that as a rule labels by variety.

Star Grapes: I’d say Riesling is the superstar here, which tends to be made in a dry style here, although sweet styles are definitely also common. Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris, are the other “noble grapes” of the region. Sylvaner gets noble grape status when it comes from Zotzenberg vineyard.

Supporting Players: Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, and Chardonnay are other important white grapes for the region and are often included in blends like Edelzwicker. Pinot Noir is the red grape of the area, but the white wines are bigger stars here.

Other Important Factors: Alsace has two quality tiers – general Alsace and Alsace Grand Cru. Only the noble grapes can be planted in the Grand Cru vineyards, with the exception that Sylvaner is planted in the Grand Cru

Posts related to Alsace:

Loire

Gauthier Pere et Fils Domaine du Bel Air Bourgueil Jour de Soif with a bowl of pasta and zoodles and a super chill night with friends.

We drink a lot of Loire in our house as the region provides great value and a lot of food-friendly options. This region follows the Loire River as it moves from east to west toward the Atlantic. As it stretches quite a ways, there are a lot of climatic differences between its subregions, and with that goes quite a bit of grape diversity. It also complicates things bit, since each section is distinct. Overall, star grapes include Sauv Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Muscadet, and Cab Franc, but we'll break it down by area.

Here are the sub-zones moving from west to east towards the ocean.

Central Vineyards

Thomas-Labaille Sancerre Les Monts Damnes Chavignol 2016 and Domaine Adele Rouzes Quincy 2017 . Two great Sauv Blanc options from the Loire. Sancerre is a classic, but look to lesser known appellations like Quincy for really greta values.

Star Grape: Sauvignon Blanc

Supporting Players: Pinot Noir. The whites are more celebrated but the reds are generally from Pinot.

Key Areas: Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé are the two most famous appellations. Other appellations, like Quincy, as worth exploring for more value options.

Touraine

Domaine Guion Bourgueil Cuvee Domaine. Loire Cab Francs are another great option for when you're looking to pair a red with seafood. We had this one with salmon with salsa verde and hasselback sweet potatoes.

Star Grapes: Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc

Supporting Players: Sauvignon Blanc (which is actually more widely planted than Chenin), Chardonnay,and Pinot Gris among the white wines. Côt (aka Malbec ), Gamay, Pinot Noir, Grolleau Noir, Pineau d'Aunis, Pinot Meunier, and among the red wines.

Key Areas: Vouvray made of Chenin Blanc. Chinon and Bourgeuil, both Cabernet Franc based.

Jean-Maurice Raffault Chinon Les Galuches 2017 with skirt steak and roasted broccolini.

Anjou

Domaine Filliatreau Saumur Chateau Fouquet 2016

Star Grapes: Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc

Supporting Players: Côt (aka Malbec), Gamay, Cabernet grapes, with a little help from Gamay and Pineau d'Aunis on the red side. Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay among the white wines.

Key Areas: There are several celebrated Chenin Blanc appellations here including Savennières and Côteaux du Layon. Saumur from Cabernet Franc.

Chateau du Hureau Saumur-Champigny Tuffe 2017 and chicken with roasted radishes and romanesco. Loire Cab Francs are a veggie lover's friend.

Muscadet

Star Grape: Melon de Bourgogne

Key Areas: Muscadet Sèvre et Maine. The wines here reflect their maritime location near the ocean and tend to be lean, crisp, with briny seashell minerality.

Other Important Factors: Wines labeled sur lie, have been aged on the lees to add a little bit of texture.

This Frères Couillaud Chateau de la Ragotiere Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie Cuvée Amélie (sample) made an amazing pairing with seafood. It was EXCELLENT with mussels and leeks.

Posts related to the Loire:

Also Check Out:
2 oz Pours: 16 French Wine Values
Crémants for Going Out and Staying In (Psst! They're Your New All-Purpose Bubblies!)
A Wine & Cheese Night #MadeinFrance

*****

The rest of the French Winophiles (#Winophiles) also got back to wine basics this month. Check out their posts here:

Robin at Crushed Grape Chronicles shares “French Wine…Where to Begin?”
Pierre and Cynthia at Traveling Wine Profs share “Exploring French Wine on a Tight Budget at Trader Joe’s”
Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Cam shares “Deciphering French Wine Labels”
Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm shares “Mediterranean Shrimp with a Corsican Wine”
Jill at L’Occasion shares “Your Ticket To French Wine Is Actually A Map“
Pinny at Chinese Food and Wine Pairings shares “Learn about Wines from the Bourgueil AOC While Eating Pork Tongue Head Cheese + Napa Cabbage Salad”
Linda at My Full Wine Glass shares “One Name to Get You Started on French Wine”
Jane at Always Ravenous shares “Discover French Wine: Where to Start”
Gwendolyn at Wine Predator shares two:
“Introduce a Friend to French Wine 1: Chateauneuf – du – Pape and Cassoulet”
Introduce a Friend to French Wine 2: Loire’s St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil AOC Les Quaterones, Amirault #Winophiles
Susannah at Avvinare adds “Start Your French Wine Study With Beaujolais ”
Terri at Our Good Life shares "Newcomer's Guide to French Wine: the Burgundies"
Jeff at Food Wine Click! shares “French Wine 101: Taste for Yourself”

This post contains Amazon Affiliate links, from which I might earn a commission at no cost to you.

We're getting back to basics with a cheat sheet of Italian wine essentials. Italian wine can be super daunting when you're first starting out thanks to the number of grapes and regions, but we'll try to break down the essentials into bite-sized pieces by looking at labeling terms and key regions including Tuscany, Piedmont, Sicily, Veneto, Puglia, and Emilia-Romagna. Consider this your CliffsNotes for Italian wine basics.

View from Elvio Cogno in Barolo. Photo by Greg Hudson

Hope your 2020 is off to an amazing start!

I’m kicking off the new DECADE by getting back to basics with a cheat sheet of Italian wine essentials. This is not as simple a task as it would appear. Italian wine can be super daunting! With 20 different regions and an astonishing number of grapes (in Native Grapes of Italy Ian D’Agata covers 500 different native varieties, and that isn't close to an exhaustive list), it can be really difficult to know how to begin to get a handle on the wines. That said, the wines are so intertwined with the amazing cuisine and are so captivating that it is well worth the effort.

Let’s see if we can break down the essentials into bite-sized pieces. Consider this your CliffsNotes for Italian wine basics.

Map courtesy of WineFolly.com

LABELING

Naming

Let’s start with the naming of wines in Italy, because even this can be maddening. Wines can be named by the region, the grape, or a combination of both. For the most part, there’s no easy way to parse this out other than just diving in and getting to know them. However, if you see a preposition like di, d’, or della (of or from), things get a little easier as this is usually a combination of the grape and place. For example, Barbera d’ Alba is made of the grape Barbera, coming from the commune of Alba in Piedmont.

The Quality Pyramid(s)

If you’ve ever looked at an Italian wine bottle, you might’ve noticed a little flag of paper wrapped around the capsule with letters like “DOCG” – these are indicative of the quality tier the wine falls into under the Italy’s appellation system. These indicators also will appear somewhere on the labels.

There are four basic tiers:

•    DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) is the top of the Italian wine pyramid. To achieve DOCG status, wines must comply with a very strict set of rules overseeing everything from the grape varieties, production area, grape ripeness/alcohol levels, permitted yields, winemaking procedures, and aging requirements. These wines are also subject to inspections and official tastings to ensure that they meet the standards of the specific region.  
•    DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) is the next tier down and covers the grand majority of the traditional Italian wine styles. There are also specific sets of regulations overseeing the production of these wines, although they tend to be less strict than those overseeing DOCG wines. That said, DOC’s that show a consistent quality track record can be promoted to DOCG status.  
•    IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica): This classification was added in 1992 as a way to give winemakers some flexibility and room for experimentation. Before then, there was really no way to indicate wines that were of good quality, but fell outside of DOC/DOCG rules. So if you were a winemaker who wanted to play with grapes other than those sanctioned by the region, there was really nowhere on the quality ladder to put the resulting wines. The IGT designation focuses on the region rather than specifics of grapes or winemaking styles.  
•    VdT (Vino da Tavola)/ Vino: This is the most basic level of the Italian wine pyramid. Vino da Tavola translates to “table wine.” Prior to the creation of the IGT category, all the quality experimental/non-traditional wines that fell outside the DOC/DOCG rules fell into this camp. Nowadays, it has been renamed as Vino and it might appear on a label as Vino d’Italia. These tend to be inexpensive and can be a blend of different grapes, regions, and even vintages. These wines will not be labeled with a region or a vintage. 

Knowing these tiers can be a very useful tool when picking out a wine. It’s not to say that every DOCG wine will be better than every DOC wine, etc. There are plenty of exceptions. However, if you’re staring at two bottles at a wine store and you know nothing else about either of them, but one is DOC and the other is DOCG, it’s a fair bet that the DOCG wine will be of higher quality because it has been held to stricter standards.

Aging Tiers and Other Terms

Beyond the overall quality pyramid, different regions might have their own quality pyramids in addition to this, as well as additional terminology. A lot of times these terms will center largely around aging requirements, alcohol levels, and/or classical boundaries. For example, Chianti has the following tiers/classifications, all of which are DOCG :

Chianti: This is a DOCG, but it covers 38,000 acres of vineyards, which is quite a big area with multiple subzones.
Chianti Classico: By comparison, the Classico zone is made up only 17,800 acres of vineyards and essentially follows the original boundaries for the region, which were expanded over time. (Soave/Soave Classico, and Prosecco/Prosecco Superiore DOCG present similar situations.) The wines also require a one-year minimum period of aging before they can be released.
Chianti Classico Riserva: These wines are made within the Classico zone, but as a "Riserva," they require aging for two years in barrel, plus an additional three months in bottle.
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione: Wine must be aged for at least 30 months in oak barrels. This category was created to signify the highest quality standards, and wines must be made from all estate fruit as well. Additionally, Gran Selezione wines might not be made every year. This is a fairly new designation introduced in 2014.

Another term you might see on a bottle that isn't represented here is "Superiore," which can have different meanings depending on the region. In all cases, however, the wine must meet stricter standards to use the term, be it higher alcohol/grape ripeness, more aging, or vineyards from better locations. For more on Italian wine label terminology, see this useful guide on Wine-Searcher.com.

Now that we know the basic quality tiers and terms, let’s take a look at some of Italy’s regions.

KEY REGIONS

The areas included here were chosen because of either their importance in fame and reputation, or in terms of production. There are so many wonderful regions in Italy worthy of exploration and I’d certainly encourage you to branch out.

Tuscany

Tuscan landscape view taken in Montalcino. Photo by Nicole Ruiz Hudson.

Since we’ve already been talking about Chianti, let’s start with Tuscany where it is located. Tuscany is also quite probably Italy’s most famous wine region, thanks to its beautiful rolling landscape and sunny weather. It’s easy to see why it’s so celebrated. Seriously, you see so many romantic pictures and paintings of the region that they can start to seem cliche. Then you go and you see that they weren’t exaggerating one tiny bit. It’s just that pretty.

Located in central Italy, the area generally enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with warmer, temperate coastal areas, and cooler temperatures in hilly, central areas with increased diurnal variations.

Star Grape: Sangiovese

Key Areas: Most of Tuscany’s most famous appellations – Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano – have Sangiovese in the leading role. Each of these has their own local variation or clone, but they’re all Sangio. (Sangiovese is also the most planted grape in Italy overall.)

Other Important Players: Vernaccia and Vermentino for white wines. You’ll also find a good amount of Chardonnay. Canaiolo and Colorino are other local red grapes allowed in Chianti in small amounts.

Also Notable: Super Tuscans. The unofficial term for Tuscan wines made from international grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah. These wines account for the main reason the IGT category was created. They originally fell under the VdT category, but started commanding hefty sums of money and lots of critical acclaim, making the quality pyramid look rather strange.

Posts & Pairings for Tuscan Wines:

View from Brancaia winery. Photo by Nicole Ruiz Hudson

Piedmont

Vineyards at Manzone in Monforte d'Alba in Piedmont. Photo by Greg Hudson.

Located in northwestern Italy, Piedmont is Tuscany’s rival in fame, and it actually has more DOCG’s than any other region in the country. Piedmont, or Piemonte, means “foot of the mountains,” and indeed it’s a hilly region located at the foot of the Western Alps on the border with France, and the Apennine Mountains are to the southeast. The region has a continental climate and it’s colder here than in most of the rest of Italy. It can also get quite a bit of fog, particularly in the valleys. (The pic at the top was also taken in Piedmont and shows some of the fog.) That said, the mountains protect the region from getting a lot of rain.

Star Grape: Nebbiolo

Key Areas: Barolo and Barbaresco are the region’s most famous appellations and are both made from Nebbiolo. (Find less pricey versions from Roero and under the regional appellation Langhe, among others.)

Other Important Players: I love Nebbiolo, but Piedmont has a wealth of other excellent grapes, most of which are better priced for everyday. Other reds include Barbera (particularly from Asti and Alba), Dolcetto (from Dogliani and Alba), and lesser-known but delicious grapes like Freisa. There are excellent white wines are wells from aromatic Arneis and Cortese which is found in the wines of Gavi. This is also the home of the lightly sweet and sparkling Moscato d’Asti.

Posts & Pairings for Piemontese Wines:

Sicily

Passopisciaro Vineyards in Contrada Guardiola, on Mt. Etna, Sicily. Photo courtesy of Sarah H. Bray.

Sicily is Italy’s most southern region and its largest island – actually it’s the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It has the climate to match with lots of sunshine and moderate rainfall. The quality of the region’s wine suffered for a while, but they’ve made concerted efforts to right the ship and now the region is a darling of sommeliers. The region is also 4th in terms of production volume.

Principal/Star Grapes: Catarratto (white) and Nero d’Avola (red) are the first and second most planted grape varieties.

Key Areas: Etna DOC covers Mount Etna – the slopes of this volcano makes for very interesting vineyard area. Currently, the island’s only DOCG is Cerasuolo di Vittoria which is located in the southeastern section of the island and is made of Nero d’Avola and Frappato.

Other Important Players: This is another region with many very interesting grape varieties. Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio form a small part of the overall production, but are key grapes on Mount Etna. Other key white grapes include Grillo and Inzolia. In addition to dry still wines, Marsala, the island’s famous fortified wine, is also made of these two grapes along with Cataratto, of which there is a lot on the island at varying levels of quality. (A total of ten different grapes are permitted for Marsala.) Of course, you’ll also find the international varieties here, as in most places.

Posts & Pairings Related to Sicily:

Veneto

Landscape from iLatium Morini (producers of Valpolicella, Amarone, and Soave.) in Veneto, outside Verona. Photo by Greg Hudson

Moving back up the boot again to the northeastern quadrant. It produces the most wine in terms of volume than any other Italian wine region. It is also the home of several, completely distinct styles of wine. Here is a quick run-through of a few:

Valpolicella and Amarone: The grapes for the region of Valpolicella are Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, Molinara, and Oseleta, and typically make for easy-drinking wines. Amarone della Valpolicella uses the same grapes, but makes a very different style. The grapes for Amarone are dried a bit to concentrate the flavors. The wines are dry, but have raisin-like flavors which is an interesting juxtaposition. (Dessert wines are also made using grapes dried in this way, but are called Recioto della Valpolicella.) The area is within an easy 30 minute drive from Verona.

Soave: Crisp white wines based on the grape Garganega. Look for those labeled Classico for more serious versions produced from the original zone that is made up of mostly hillside vineyards. In addition to dry wines, Soave can also be made in Recioto styles.

Prosecco: Bubbly wines made from the semi-aromatic Glera grape, typically via the tank method. Prosecco vineyards begin just outside Venice. The classic heartland of the region, Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG, is situated in the hills about 30 to 40 minutes from the city.

Other Important Players: There is a ton of Pinot Grigio planted in Veneto, as is the case throughout northeastern Italy. The region of Bardolino, located next to Lake Garda, makes wines from the same grapes as Valpolicella. Veneto shares the area of Lugana with Lombardy, and while the area is not well known, it makes wonderful wines from the grape Turbiana (aka Verdicchio, Trebbiano di Lugana). Pinot Nero, Merlot, Cab Sauvignon, Cab Franc, and Carmenere are all here too.

Posts & Pairings Related to Veneto:

Puglia

Puglia (sometimes pronounced Apulia by English speakers) is a long, skinny region that makes up the heel of the boot. The warm, Mediterranean climate and terroir of the region make it ideal for grape-growing, and it is extremely productive – in 2018, it came in second after Veneto in terms of production by volume. The majority of the wine produced here is still cheap bulk wine, but there have also been moves to improve quality in recent years.

Principal Grapes and Key Areas: It’s hard to pick just one or two star grapes for this region since it’s long and varied, making a ton of wine, but that also is still differentiating itself. Sangiovese is the region’s most planted grape. In the northern part of the region, you’ll also see a lot of other grapes typical of central Italy like Montepulciano (not to be confused with the town of Montepulciano in Tuscany). Primitivo (aka Zinfandel in the US) is another important grape in the region and is the star in the region’s first DOCG, Primitivo di Manduria Dolce Naturale. There is also dry Primitivo di Manduria, but it remains a DOC. Negroamaro is the star of many of the region’s southern DOC’s, such as Salice Salentino. There is also quite a bit of Nero di Troia. In terms of white grapes, there’s a lot of high-yielding Trebbiano, which contributes to the bulk wine production. Verdeca is a rare white grape now found almost exclusively in central Puglia in the towns of Taranto and Bari. The international grapes are all here as well, and have also often been a big part of the bulk wine production. The area also makes quite a bit of Vermouth.

Posts & Pairings Related to Puglia:

Two Sides of a Coin: Primitivo and Zinfandel (with Ribs Two Ways)

Emilia-Romagna

This is another fertile wine region but in north-central Italy, surrounded by Tuscany, Liguria, Lombardy, and Veneto and the Adriatic Sea to the east. It’s a large region and in 2018, it was the third most prolific region after Veneto and Puglia.

Star Grape: Lambrusco (actually, a group of grapes)

Key Areas: There are several DOC’s in the region focusing on Lambrusco and representing different styles: Salamino di Santa Croce, di Sorbara, Grasparossa di Castelvetro, Reggiano, and Modena which encompasses the whole province of Modena.

Other Important Players: Malvasia is an important white grape for the region and is often also used to make lightly sparkling wine. Trebbiano, Barbera, Bonarda, Sangiovese, and the internationals are all here as well.

Pairings & Posts Related to Emilia-Romagna:

I will be updating this from time to time with wine recs, pairing ideas, and additional post links as I cover more of these regions in depth.

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The rest of the Italian Food, Wine, Travel (#ItalianFWT) is also getting back to Italian wine basics and thinking about how they'd introduce friends to Italian wines. Check out their posts here: