Italy

Italy makes wine in almost every corner of the country, across more than 350 officially recognised grape varieties. No other wine nation comes close to that kind of diversity. The challenge isn't finding something good. It's knowing where to start.

The Reserve Cellar's Italian wine selection includes producers like Antinori, Sassicaia, Gaja and Biondi Santi. A good place to start, or to go deeper.

What is Italy's most famous wine?

Barolo makes a strong case. Nebbiolo grown in the Langhe hills of Piedmont, aged long, structured for the cellar. It's been doing that for centuries. Brunello di Montalcino is the other name that comes up, and honestly neither answer is wrong. The Super Tuscans from Bolgheri changed the conversation in the eighties and still belong in it. Italy has that problem — too many wines with a genuine claim.

What are the best Italian wine regions?

Piedmont and Tuscany tend to dominate the conversation when it comes to wine from Italy, and fairly so. Piedmont is home to Barolo, Barbaresco and Barbera. Tuscany covers Chianti Classico, Brunello, Bolgheri and the Maremma. But the country is deeper than those two regions. Sicily is producing increasingly compelling reds and whites. Friuli in the northeast makes some of Italy's most interesting white wines. There's a lot of ground worth covering.

What is the difference between Chianti and Barolo?

Chianti is Sangiovese from Tuscany. Bright acidity, savoury cherry fruit, a structure that makes it one of the most food-friendly reds in the world. At the top end, a Chianti Classico Gran Selezione is a serious wine by any measure. Barolo is Nebbiolo from Piedmont. Fuller, firmer, built around tannin that needs years to open up properly. Both reward patience. Barolo just demands more of it.

There's a lot of fine Italian wine online that doesn't make it to the right hands. The Reserve Cellar exists to change that. Secure your bottles and start somewhere good.