Italian Wines

From Piedmont through Tuscany and down to Puglia, the names of the great Italian wineries cause the eyes of wine lovers to light up with excitement - Ornellaia, Sassicaia, Masseto, Tignanello, Gaja, Bruno Giacosa and Giuseppe Quintarelli to name just a few. With more than 2,000 native grape varieties, each Italian region has its own distinctive style and flair, much like the country's food. Despite this volume of "local talent", however, many of the most coveted Italian wines have embraced the influx of French grape varieties that undeniably produce impressive wines, particularly in the realm of "Super Tuscans." Looking at a wine map of Italy, it seems that wine is produced anywhere and everywhere, with all 20 of Italy's administrative regions home to multiple wine regions.