There are many different types of wine to choose from, but Italian wine is by far considered as being some of the very best. Italian wine has been loved around the world for centuries, and Italy has a truly glowing reputation when it comes to wine, not only because it produces and exports more than any other country in the world but also because it offers the greatest variety of types and flavors.

With literally hundreds of different wines produced in Italy each year, it is really no wonder as to why trying to decide on any Italian wine can be so intimidating and overwhelming. After all you have to worry about everything from deciphering Italian wine terms, interpret Italian wine labels, and understand about the different regional grape growing zones.

Geography and Climate

Geography and climate are both incredibly important when it comes to Italian wine. It would really be hard to design a body of land that was more perfectly suited to growing wine than Italy. Obviously it is at a really great latitude for vineyards but it is also a long and thin peninsula that extends almost north-south far into the Mediterranean.

There is one problem with the geography of Italy and that is that some people actually consider it as being too perfect. This is because growers have the right conditions to get big yields from the vine, so often times although there may be a lot of wine, it is not always of the best quality.

Northern Italy

Northern Italy is one of the most favored regions in Italy for the production of wine. The northwest of Italy is actually divided up into four different regions, which are: Valle d-Aosta, Lombardy, Liguria, and Piedmont. There are a few wines in particular that are produced in this region and which are worthy of a mention. This includes Aldo Conterno, Giaocomo Conterno, Enzo Boglietti, Pio Cesare, Vietti, Elvio Cogno, and Luciano Sandrone.

Central Italy

Then there is also central Italy, which is another of the most favorable regions in Italy to produce Italian wine. The central regions of Italy are in fact responsible for what is probably the best known of all Italian red wine, Chianti. A few of the top wines produced in this region are Fonterutoli, Felsina, Fontodi, Antinori, and Isole e Olena.

There are many other fantastic Italian wines as well, and Italy is definitely one of the most favored producers of wine in the world.

Italian Wine

You must have heard the name of ‘Port Wine’ off and on as a special type of wine. However, do you have any idea as to what it is all about, what type of wine this is, and why it is called “port” wine?

Demystifying The Port Wine

The history of this wondrous wine can be traced to the Douro Valley wineries in Portugal. This is a sweetish wine for which reason it is commonly served with the dessert. When you look at the properties of this wine, you will find it richer, heavier and at the same time sweeter than the regular wines. There are many variants of this wine, but only two of these stand out, i.e. the oxidative aging and the reductive aging port wine.

There are five grape varieties that go into the making of the port wine and these are, the Tinta Roza, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Fanacesas, Tinot Cao, and Tina Barroca all of which are grapes that grow in the Douro Valley (Portugal).

The port wine which has been matured within the barrel with very limited exposure to oxygen is known as wine that is oxidative aged wine while the wine that has not been exposed to oxygen at all is known as reductive aged wine.

There is another property that makes this wine stand out, i.e. the port wine is a forfeited wine. In other words, more alcohol base is added to this wine, making it have a much higher percentage of alcohol than the regular wines.

Some Great Port Wines

The name port wine encompasses a vast number of different types of wines of all color and taste. You have the White Port which has a dry type flavor which is normally aged for about three years. Then you have the Colheita Port which is aged for about seven years. This wine is made from only one year’s harvest grapes unlike others which use grapes across different years’ harvests.

Among the more expensive one are the Tawny Port which is aged for a very long time

Knowing a few things about wine is a very handy skill. You can be trusted to order wine in a restaurant, you will be asked which foods go with a certain wine, and you can impress your friends and family with your wine trivia.

Before you can claim to be an expert, you need to learn some of the basics. One of the first things you’ll need to learn about is what types of red wine are available and popular on today’s market.

This list won’t tell you everything you need to know, but it will help you understand what you’re reading on the label when you pick up a bottle of red wine for dinner.

There are basically seven types of red wine. They are categorized by the type of grape used to make them. Besides these seven basic types of red wine, there are also many blends using more than one kind of grape. Here we’ll focus only on the seven main types of red wine.

Barbera

Barbera is among the most commonly grown grapes in the world, being found on five continents. The Barbera grape produces a ripe, crisp-tasting wine that is used to blend with many other types of red wine.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most popular types of red wine. The Cabernet Sauvignon grape is, like the Barbera, among the most commonly grown grape types on the planet. Cabernet Sauvignon wines age extremely well.

Merlot

Merlot is a great starter wine that nearly any wine drinker can appreciate. It is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, though it is lovely on its own.

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is an exquisite grape which makes an excellent wine. It is strong enough to stand on its own and usually is not blended with other types of red wine.

Sangiovese

Sangiovese is most commonly used to make Chianti, but has not yet gained worldwide popularity. Recently, it has been used in some California reds. This is one to watch, as it may soon become very popular in American wines.

Shiraz (Syrah)

The Shiraz grape produces a very fine, spicy red wine. It is used in some of the best contemporary French wines and produces an amazing deep and bold flavor.

Zinfandel

Zinfandel is a very versatile and useful grape. Although most people associate Zinfandel with White Zinfandel wine, the Zinfandel grape can actually be used to make very deep reds as well. It has a very high sugar content, which can translate into very high alcohol content in the finished wine.

Types Of Red Wine