In the previous post, we considered lesser known red grape varieties and wines from Piemonte. For this article, we will examine similar wines and grapes from Trentino, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Sicily.

The Etruscans were the first to produce wine in northern Italy; beginning with wild varieties, they cultivated vines in Piedmont centuries before the Romans arrived. Nevertheless, it was the Romans who advanced commercial winemaking, significantly increasing the area under vine and using props, trellises and ‘Greek presses’ to dependably supply the empire’s domestic and trading needs.

Compared to more famous Italian wine regions, such as Toscana and Piemonte, Calabria is relatively overlooked on the international stage. But in 2025, it received some much-deserved recognition: Cirò Classico was finally promoted to Calabria’s first DOCG. There are several factors that make this appellation so special, including its history, its terroir and the distinctive style of wine it produces thanks to the characterful Gaglioppo grape. Comparisons with Barolo abound; are they well-founded or just wishful thinking?

Italian reds have become famous all over the world, characterized by their intense structures, rich perfumes and distinctive personalities, often derived from the peninsula’s characterful native grape varieties.