Italian Wine Grape Varietals

• Dolcetto

A grape that grows alongside barbera and nebbiolo in Piedmont. Its name means "little sweet one", referring not to the taste of the wine, but the ease with which it grows and makes wines suitable for everyday drinking. Flavours of blackberries and herbs permeate the wine.

• Frappato di Vittoria

This varietal most likely has its origins in the Ragusa province of Sicily,  where it is believed to have been cultivated up to three hundred years  ago. Frappato is usually vinified in its pure form to produce a  light, refreshing wine, with a full bouquet, low tannin content and notable acidity. It is also often a component of the popular Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOC blends of the same region.

• Lacrima

Lacrima is a dark-skinned grape varietal native to the Marche. Once much more widespread, it is now used almost exclusively in the Lacrima di Morro d'Alba DOC wines. Lacrima wines are aromatic and richly flavored, showing intense floral and spiced characters on the nose with a fresh, berry-dominated palate. Marotti Campi 'Orgiolo' Lacrima di Morro d'Alba Superiore rates highly.

The word lacrima means teardrop and probably refers to the tendency of these grapes to split, dripping juice down the outside of the bunch, one of the reasons that the lacrima grape had such a decline in the early 20 C – the split grapes attract pests and diseases. Lacrima vines also take poorly when grafted to phylloxera-resistant American root stock. This also contributed to their decline in popularity among growers.

• Malvasia Nera

This is a red malvasia varietal that grows in Piedmont. It produces a sweet, perfumy wine, sometimes made as a passito.

• Montepulciano

This grape varietal should not be confused with the Tuscan town of Montepulciano. It is most commonly planted on the opposite coast in Abruzzo. Its wines can run the gamut of easy quaffers to world class, with silky plum-like fruit, friendly acidity and light tannin.

• Nebbiolo

This is the most noble of Italy's varietals. The name (meaning "little fog") refers to the autumn fog that blankets most of Piedmont where it is grown, a condition the grape seems to enjoy. It is a somewhat difficult varietal to master, but produces the world renowned Barolo and Barbaresco wines, along with the lesser-known Sfortzato, Ghemme and Gattinara. The wines are known for their elegance and bouquet of wild mushrooms, truffles, roses and tar.

• Negroamaro

The name literally means "black and bitter", is a widely planted grape concentrated in the region of Apulia, and is the backbone of the acclaimed Salice Salentino: spicy, toasty and full of dark red fruit flavours.

• Nero d'Avola

This grape was nearly unheard of in the international market until recent years. It is a native varietal of Sicily that is gaining attention for its robust, inky wines. This grape is used to make Pithos wine, among many others. Pithos is a combination with Frappato di Vittoria that is fermented in huge terracotta containers known as giare. The results of this modern version of an ancient fermentation technology have been amazingly good.

• Sagrantino

This grape is a native to Umbria. It is planted on only 250 hectares, but the wines are world-renowned. Inky purple, with rustic brooding fruit and heavily tannic, these wines can age for many years.

• Sangiovese

Sangiovese is Italy's claim to fame, the pride of Tuscany. Its wines are full of cherry fruit, earth and cedar. It produces Chianti Classico, Rosso di Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montepulciano, Montefalco Rosso, and many, many others.

Other major red varieties are Ciliegolo, Gaplioppo, Lagrein, Lambrusco, Monica, Nerello Mascalese, Pignolo, Primitivo, Refosco, Schiava, Schiopettino, Teroldego and Uva di Troia.

Imported varietals such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Cabernet Franc are also widely grown.