Every guide on the site, by region, grape and style, food and occasion, buying basics and head-to-head comparisons
Our guides to Italy's main wine regions: the best wines, the local grapes, the rules on the label and the foods to pair with them.
Tuscany is home to Chianti Classico DOCG, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG and the Super Tuscans. Learn about Sangiovese, food pairings and the region's wine areas, from the hills of Chianti to the Maremma coast.
Key Topics: Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Super Tuscans, Sangiovese grape, Tuscan terroir, wine collecting
Piedmont makes the "King and Queen" of Italian wine: Barolo DOCG and Barbaresco DOCG. Get to know Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto. Learn what the MGA cru names mean and why the Langhe hills matter.
Key Topics: Barolo, Barbaresco, Nebbiolo grape, Barbera d'Asti, Langhe DOC, Roero, wine aging potential, truffle pairings
Veneto makes bold Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG, light Prosecco and crisp Soave. Learn how grapes are dried for Amarone and meet the Corvina and Garganega grapes.
Key Topics: Amarone, Prosecco, Soave, Valpolicella, appassimento method, Corvina grape, Garganega grape, sparkling wines
Sicily runs from the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna to the sunny vineyards of Nero d'Avola. Meet local grapes like Nerello Mascalese, Carricante and Frappato.
Key Topics: Etna wines, Nero d'Avola, Nerello Mascalese, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, volcanic terroir, indigenous Sicilian varieties
Lombardy has Franciacorta DOCG, Italy's answer to Champagne. It also has the mountain Nebbiolo of Valtellina Superiore DOCG and the white wines of Lugana.
Key Topics: Franciacorta sparkling wines, Valtellina Nebbiolo, Sforzato, traditional method, alpine wines, Lugana
Friuli is Italy's white wine land, with local grapes like Friulano and Ribolla Gialla. Read about the Collio DOC hills, orange wine, and the region that changed how Italy makes white wine.
Key Topics: Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Collio, white wine excellence, orange wines, indigenous varieties, ponca soil
DOCG is Italy's top tier. It fixes where the wine comes from and how it is made, under strict rules. See all our DOCG wines, including:
View all DOCG denominations.
DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) is the base of Italy's quality system. Each DOC has its own set zone and rules. Find more DOC wines, such as:
Browse all DOC denominations.
IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) gives winemakers more freedom to try new things. Well-known IGT areas include:
Browse our full grape directory.
Italy's wine regions run from the Alps of Valtellina to the sea around Sicily:
See our full regions directory.
Learn how to pair Italian wines with both classic and modern food. Each regional guide gives pairing tips based on the local cooking.
Find out which Italian wines age well and which DOCG bottles are worth keeping. Learn how to store wine and when to drink it.
Plan a wine trip: the best times to visit, harvest dates, local festivals and the top sights in each region.
See how Italian producers use organic, biodynamic and low-impact farming to protect their vineyards for the future.
Our guides are here for anyone who wants to get to know Italian wine, from first sip to serious collecting.
Start with our complete list of guides, or browse by denomination, grape and region.
Production rules and official information from the consortia of the wines in this guide: