Montepulciano has long lived in the shadow of its more famous Tuscan cousin, Sangiovese. A bit fruitier and generally lower in acidity than Sangiovese, the more southern wine of Abruzzo is perhaps also less pretentious and easier to enjoy. Directly east of Rome, Abruzzo is close to the eastern Adriatic coast of Italy and produces vivacious, deeply colored reds full of fresh, dark fruit with soft tannins.
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In Italy, Passerina is the local name for a white grape that is also known as Biancame or Bianchello. It’s an ancient grape that has been planted primarily along northern Italy’s eastern coast since Roman times. Colli Aprutini, which translates as “Aprutini Hills,” is a small region located in the Marche region of Abruzzo. Here Passerina makes a very complex, lushly textured white that pairs well with hearty Adriatic seafood dishes.
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Prosecco, the white grape that produces the sparkling wine considered to be Italy’s finest, is gaining traction in the United States. It tends to be a touch softer in texture than Champagne, and it’s certainly easier on the wallet. It’s produced in Veneto, which spans the plains and hills that lie between Venice and the Alps. The area designated for making Prosecco surrounds the towns of Valdobbiadene and Conegliano.
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Piedmont, in northwest Italy, has a peculiar climate and terrain that produce some of the world’s most unique wines, from coveted Barolo and Barbaresco to more affordable and often delicious Barbera and Dolcetto. Wine is serious business here, and where there are no vineyards, there are usually forests where prized white and black truffles lie hidden from truffle hunters and their scratching dogs in the fall.
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Languedoc, located in southern France, was long regarded as a second-tier wine region. Today, with the infusion of new capital and expert techniques from neighboring areas, the Languedoc is proving to be a premier growing region for heat-tolerant grapes, including varieties traditionally grown in the Rhône Valley farther east. Domaine Puech Chaud is located near the town of Nîmes in a relatively cool micro-climate of this appellation and features limestone and gravel soils suitable for growing both red and white grapes.
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The picturesque region of Alto Adige is located in the far north of Italy, nestled up against the Dolomite Mountains and Southern Alps that form the border between Italy and Austria. German is the dominant language in Alto Adige, but the locals have a very Italian appreciation for food and wine. This area is best known for its superb minerally white wines, especially Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc.
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Alto Adige is the northernmost wine region in Italy, nestled into the Alpine foothills of south Tirol, just south of Austria. In fact, German is the principal language of the region, and the terrain (and cheeses) seem as much Swiss as they are Italian. This region produces primarily white wine: Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc—all fresh, minerally and often quite profound.
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Abruzzo, a once-poor region of east-central Italy between Tuscany and the Adriatic coast, has become more prosperous in recent decades. Montepulciano wine, one of its greatest exports, has likewise enjoyed a rise in status. For a long time it was regarded as a fruity but not terribly serious wine. Today quality has improved, and Montepulciano grapes grown in Abruzzo are still hearty and down-to-earth but have become increasingly sophisticated.
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Northern Italy’s Piemonte region is surely one of the most unique winegrowing areas in the world. Its wind-sheltered, mound-like hills with varied sun exposures produce inimitable Barolo and Barbaresco wines made from Nebbiolo grapes, as well as the world’s greatest Barbera and Dolcetto wines. This benchmark Barbera comes from Monteforte d’Alba, known for producing some of the most concentrated, best structured reds of the region.
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Puglia is a very fertile region in southeastern Italy that borders the Adriatic and the Ionian Seas and the Strait of Otranto and the Gulf of Taranto. The southern portion of Puglia forms the high heel on the “boot” of Italy. Known primarily for rustic red wine, the region is enjoying a renaissance in quality, largely inspired by investment in modern facilities and practices from established wineries in northern Italy and abroad. The signature red grape of Puglia is Primitivo, a close cousin of California’s Zinfandel grape.
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