Italian Red Wines

The most famous red wines from Italy

Most of you probably recognize quite a few of the red wines below. In random order - the most famous red Italian wines are:

Barolo (wine region: Barolo in Piedmont)

Brunello di Montalcino (wine region: Montalcino in Tuscany)

Chianti (wine region: various Chianti subregions in Tuscany)

Chianti Classico (wine region: Chianti Classico in Tuscany)

Amarone della Valpolicella (wine region: Valpolicella in Veneto)

Valpolicella Ripasso (wine region: Valpolicella in Veneto)

Barbaresco (wine region: Barbaresco in Piedmont)

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (wine region: Montpulciano in Tuscany)

Barbera d’Asti (wine region: Barbera in Piedmont)

Barbera del Monferrato Superiore (wine region: Monferrato in Piedmont)

Primitivo di Manduria (wine region: Manduria in Puglia)

Tignanello (wine region: Chianti Classico in Tuscany)

Sassicaia (wine region: Bolgheri in Tuscany)

In addition to these many well-known wines, there are many unknown -but delicious red wines such as the Cannonau di Sardegna, Carignano, Sagrantino de Montefalco, Carmignano, Dogliani, Taurasi and the Sforzato di Valtellina.

Discover them all 🙂 by visiting one of the more than 350 wine regions of Italy during your holiday or specific wine trip to Italy. You can go to most wineries for a nice wine tasting.

The winery tours and wine tastings are often in nice combinations. From cycling or walking through the vineyards with a tasting of the specific wines from the region at the end. Another way to taste the wines is to visit one of the many wine festivals during your stay in Italy. There are quite a few, big chance that you have one nearby to taste the delicious red wines and discover your own taste. Because ultimately taste is something personal.

Last year we visited the Florence and Tuscany wine region. We had the opportunity to visit both Montalcino, Bolgheri and the Chianti Classico region.

Coincidentally (ha ha ha) we stayed at a winery hotel in Greve in Chianti during the yearly wine festival (Expo Chianti Classico), so we could taste the many different types of Chianti Classico wine ourselves. A great experience.

The three levels of Chianti Classico (Annata, Riserva and on top of the quality level the Chianti Classico Gran Selezione). Besides these three levels, there is much difference in taste considering the various subzones within this wine region.

We had some great days around.

The most used grapes for the most famous Italian red wines

The most used grapes for making red wines are Sangiovese, Nebbiolo and Aglianico. Sangiovese can be found in Chianti wines, for example.

In addition to the top three blue grapes mentioned, you will probably also recognize Barbera, Corvina, Dolcetto, Malvasia Nera, Montepulciano, Negroamaro, Nero d'Avola, Primitivo and Sagrantino as common grapes for making red wines.

Other, typical Italian indigenous grape varieties are: Cannonau, Ciliegiolo, Corvinone, Gaglioppo, Lagrein, Lambrusco, Molinara, Monica, Nerello Mascalese, Pignolo, Rondinella, Refosco, Schiava, Schioppettino, Teroldego, and Uva di Troia. And that is just a small part, when you consider that more than 500 different grape varieties are grown in Italy. At the beginning of 2020, there were 569 to be precise.

In addition to the local, indigenous Italian blue grapes, the international grapes Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are also widely grown in Italy.

The Italian red DOCG wines

Looking at the Italian wine classification system, DOCG- tops the table. These are the best wines produced in Italy.

Of the 74 DOCG wines, no less than 42 can be drunk and ordered as red wine. A very small number of the wines below are also available as white, sparkling or dessert wine.

Aglianico del Taburno DOCG

Aglianico del Vulture Superiore DOCG

Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG

Bagnoli Friularo / Friularo di Bagnoli DOCG

Barbaresco DOCG

Barbera d’Asti DOCG

Barbera del Monferrato Superiore DOCG

Bardolino Superiore DOCG

Barolo DOCG

Brachetto d’Acqui / Acqui DOCG

Brunello di Montalcino DOCG

Carmignano DOCG

Castel del Monte Nero di Troia Riserva DOCG

Castel del Monte Rosso Riserva DOCG

Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG

Cesanese del Piglio o Piglio DOCG

Chianti Classico DOCG

Chianti DOCG

Colli di Conegliano DOCG

Colline Teramane Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOCG

Cònero DOCG

Dogliani DOCG

Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba o Diano d’Alba DOCG

Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore o Ovada DOCG

Gattinara DOCG

Ghemme DOCG

Montecucco Sangiovese DOCG

Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG

Montello Rosso / Montello DOCG

Morellino di Scansano DOCG

Nizza DOCG

Offida DOCG

Piave Malanotte / Malanotte del Piave DOCG

Primitivo di Manduria Dolce Naturale DOCG

Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG

Sforzato di Valtellina / Sfursat di Valtellina DOCG

Suvereto DOCG

Taurasi DOCG

Torgiano Rosso Riserva DOCG

Val di Cornia Rosso / Rosso della Val di Cornia DOCG

Valtellina Superiore DOCG

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG

The best way to discover these top quality red wines is to visit a couple of wineries in Italy. They all offer great tours and tasting options.

You might start your wine trip with the Italian wine regions (358!) or to find a wine festival while you're on vacation in Italy.

Online you can also discover the white wines of Italy.

Have fun and enjoy your own Italian Wine Adventure.

Ciao.

Dennis