Wines from Northern Italy :
Many wine lovers think that the best Italian wines are produced in some small towns in Piemonte(PI). They have got this leading place because of two full-bodied red wines, Barolo and Barbaresco, both made of Nebbolio grapes. Of this two is Barolo the most power full and heaviest in colour, scent and taste. In Piemonte they also make the famous sparkling wine Asti Spumante. In the province of Valtellina in Lombardy (LO) they produce full-bodied strong and robust wines. From Trentino Alto Adige (TR), near the Austrian border come some of the better wines from the country, specialy from the Telano and Lago di Caldoza-district. In Friuli-Venezia-Giulia (FR) they make their red wine with the same grape sorts like in Bordeaux. This red wines are mostly excelent. White wines are made here with Riesling Renano, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Grigio grapes. These white wines have mostlty an alcoholic content of 12%. In Veneto (VE) are the best vine-yards found arround Lago di Garda and in the Province of Verona. Here they make the red Bardolino and Valpolicella wines as well as the white Soave.
| name | taste | colour | goes good with... |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asti spumante (PI) | sweet | white | cake / desserts |
| Barbaresco (PI) | dry | red | liver / kidneys |
| Barbera (PI) | dry | red | Salami / pasta with meat |
| Barbera d'Asti (PI) | dry | white | heavy pasta dishes / guinea-fowl |
| Bardolino (VE) | dry | red | veal/light meat dishes |
| Barolo (PI) | dry | red | game |
| Dolcetto (PI) | dry | red | spicy dishes / cheese |
| Freccia Rossa (LO) | dry | white | Risotto / ossobuco |
| Gattarina (PI) | dry | red | beef / heavy meat dishes |
| Grave di Friuli (FR) | dry | red/white | almost everything |
| Grumello (LO) | dry | white | veal / chicken |
| Lugana (LO) | dry | white | trout |
| nebbolio (PI) | dry | red | veal/chicken / liver |
| Picolet (TR) | sweet | white | desserts |
| Prosecco di Conegliano (VE) | sweet | white | cakes |
| Reciotto della Valpolicella (VE) | sweet | red | cakes / desserts |
| Reciotto della Valpolicella Amarone (VE) | dry | red | guinea-fowl / liver / heavy veal dishes |
| Soave (VE) | dry | white | pasta dishes with fish |
| Tocai (VE) | dry | white | chicken |
| Valpolicella (VE) | dry | red | pasta / ham / veal |
The wine label :
On each wine label on italian wines you will find beside the name of the wine also some other information about quality and bottling. In the table below you'll find an example of a label and the explanation of the information you will find on it.
SOAVE |
The most Italian wines have a simple name. This wine is called Soave. The quality of the wine is indicated with the word classico, wich describes wines from the central and very best vineyards of the regions. Denominazione di orgine controlate (DOC) is the Italian code of laws wich controls wine-growing and wine production methods. Imbottilgiato dal produtore all'orgine means the wine is made and bottled at the same place . Cantina sociale di Soave is the wine growers coöperative of Soave. | NOTE : Instead of CLASSICO there can be written RISERVA when the wine is made of specially selected grapes, or PASSITO wich means it's a sweet wine made of semi dried grapes. Beside this you also can find information about the wine's character: SPUMANTE - frothy and sparkling; FRIZZANTE - slightly sparkling or prickling on the palate; SECCO - dry; DOLCE -sweet; STRAVECCHIO - very old. The color is indicated with: BIANCO - white; CHIARETTO -very light red; ROSATO - pink or rosé; ROSSO - red. |
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