What Italy gets right about red wine

If there’s one thing Italy will never be short of, it’s high-quality red wine. And while there are great wines to be found all across the country, the most popular tend to originate from the regions of Tuscany, Piemonte and Veneto.

The two “aristocratic” northern regions of Piemonte in the west and Veneto in the east, produce Barolo and Amarone, probably the most instantly recognisable names of Italian fine wine. 

Both are classy and structurally complex, but they differ quite considerably in both their make-up and production methods.

Barolo is produced from Nebbiolo, a grape named after the fog (or “nebbia”) that descends on the Langhe subregion of Piemonte. This is a wine that needs judicious ageing to integrate the youthfully high tannins and balance with the other characteristics, but that showcases the benefits of leaving the liquid to mature. 

When it hits that sweet spot of ageing, tasting the highly prized signature flavour of “tar and roses” is a breathtaking experience.

Amarone from the Valpolicella subregion of the Veneto, close to the historic city of Verona, is a blend of three indigenous grape varieties; Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara. 

Meaning “valley of a thousand cellars”, there have been wines produced in Valpolicella since early Roman times, but the trademark name was only created in 1939. It was not properly marketed until 1959 by the Bolla winery.

The power and concentration of Amarone wine comes from a production technique called “appassimento” whereby the winemaker will partially dry the grapes, traditionally on straw mats in airy lofts. 

Air drying the grapes concentrates the remaining sugars and balances the medium-high acidity to create flavours of brown sugar, red cherry, fig, plum and cinnamon.

The final wine of the prestige trio is more of a concept than a specific liquid. The “Super Tuscan” was created to circumnavigate the strict regional laws which forbade the use of non-indigenous grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah in wines from the region. 

Frustrated by the slow pace of change in the 1970s, rebellious producers such as Frescobaldi and Antinori blended the “foreign’” varieties into their traditional Sangiovese driven Chianti wines.

The authorities relented 22 years later, and an official allowance to blend these grapes, under the general IGT classification, was agreed upon. Today, the names Tignanello, Sassicaia and Ornellaia are revered, and the wines are collected by all who can afford the higher price point. 

Tasting notes differ from wine to wine due to the variation of the grapes used and the percentages in each wine. Still, success can be measured because the phenomenon perseveres and is ever-growing in popularity. 

One of each to try:

The best of Barolo – Barolo Sperrs Angelo Gaja prices start @ £2,000 per case of 12 from Berry Bros

‘Everyday’ Amarone – Amarone della Valpollicella ‘Costasera’ @ £38.99 per bottle from Majestic Wine

The Super (value) Tuscan – Le Volte, Ornellaia, 2019 @ £24.00 from theChampagneCompany.com