Italie

Viticulture in Italy dates back to ancient times. The Romans, and before them the Etruscans, cultivated vines. The Greeks gave the territory the nickname Œnotria, meaning the land of wine (a name more specific to Calabria, then a Greek colony). Today's vineyards extend throughout the Italian regions from the Valle d'Aosta to Sicily. Italy is now, according to the OIV, the world leader in wine production in terms of volume, and is known primarily for its reds, which are significantly more tannic and structured than their French or even Swiss counterparts. The great native grape varieties (e.g. nebbiolo, sangiovese, aglianico, nerello mascalese) are not unrelated to this, as their temporal adaptation to their respective terroirs has resulted in grapes that ripen late, are rich in tannins and naturally retain a high degree of acidity and bitterness, the latter components softening considerably when the grapes are harvested at maturity, giving the wines great potential for ageing, as well as complexity and finesse. The most emblematic representatives are undoubtedly from Piedmont (Barolo, Barbaresco, Gattinara), Tuscany (Chianti Classico, Brunello del Montalcino), Campania (Falerno del Massico, Taurasi) and Sicily (Etna), although great red wines are produced in almost all Italian regions. In the north, for example, the best reds from the Valle d'Aosta shine with their unique fruity brilliance and easy-to-digest character, those from Lombardy with their extreme finesse, those from Trentino Alto Adige with their wild character, and those from Veneto with their rich body. In the centre, whether in Emilia-Romagna or Umbria, the wines are notably full-bodied and robust, while in the Marche, Abruzzi and Molise, they are characterised by a healthy rusticity. Finally, in the far south, the wines of Puglia transform sunshine into finesse, the volcanic reds of Basilicata combine the freshness of altitude with tension, while the little-known wines of Calabria display a certain darkness. Of course, we have not forgotten Piedmont, Tuscany, Campania and Sicily, whose best and greatest red wines have qualities of fragrance, structure, elegance and longevity that place them at the top of national production, to compete with neighbouring countries in the concert of the world's great wines, without any complexes.As for dry white wines, the potential of the region cannot be underestimated, because here too the autochthonous grape varieties, the soils and their location are marvellous, from the extreme north to the extreme south. For example, we can mention the small arvines from Valdot, the rare great rieslings from Piedmont, the miraculous wines of the Cinque Terre, the nosiola from Trentino, the fine soave from Veneto, the electrifying fiano and falanghina from the far south, the extraordinary carricante whites from Sicily, the rarest autochthonous wines from Sardinia, the maceration wines from Friuli, etc.Finally, it is less well known that Italy is capable of producing extraordinary sweet wines that defy time, whether they are made from passerillage (most often) on racks or on stumps, or even from botrytis (rarer), with sometimes very long maturation. Let's mention some names that evoke discovery and travel: Aleatico dell'Elba, Passito di Pantelleria, Recioto della Valpolicella, Sciacchetrà, Vin Santo. And others. In any case, they reflect a know-how that has existed since time immemorial and are worthy of interest.