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.

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.