A Trip Through Italy: My 5 Favorite Italian Wines
Ciao ciao!
My trip to Italy was magical! From the gorgeous sunsets to the amazing gelato, I never wanted to leave! Italy is truly a must-see country and a dream for wine-lovers of all experience levels, so I wanted to bring you a little taste of Italy right here at home. Read on for some great sips inspired by my adventure!
First stop, Rome!
There are some really fantastic wine bars and restaurants with amazing wine lists throughout Rome, so naturally, we tried a lot of great bottles. My favorite was a Pinot Grigio from Venica & Venica ($19). This is not your average Pinot Grigio! It’s an orange wine that’s smooth with structure and depth, and has really fresh minerality, apricot, peach, pear, and citrus flavors. It comes from northern Italy’s Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, which makes some of Italy’s best Pinot Grigio!
Then… a train ride to Positano!
My favorite experience while in Positano was a cooking class at Positano Home Cooking. In addition to the incredible meal we cooked (read: lightly assisted with), owner and host Peter Capraro has an extensive wine cellar (250,000+ bottles) filled with some of the most unique wines in Italy! We tried 20+ bottles and the standout was a Greco di Tufo from Benito Ferrara ($36). It’s a white wine made from the Italian Greco grape with floral notes and flavors of white peach and yellow plum.
Now, a quick ferry ride to Capri!
The best way to see the beauty of Capri is by boat, so we grabbed a bottle of Prosecco and sandwiches from the tiny Da Aldo deli (it’s totally unassuming and the best sandwich I had on the whole trip!) and hopped on a little boat to take a tour of the island! Casa Canevel Prosecco ($15) is perfectly refreshing and crisp with apple and pear flavors and light floral notes. It paired perfectly with our caprese sandwiches!
…And a short flight up to Piedmont wine country!
Between tasting wine in castles, meeting amazing Barolo producers, and enjoying wine paired dinners, I couldn’t have imagined a better time in Piedmont. We tasted throughout Barolo and Barbaresco, and my favorite stop was Curto, not only for the wine but also for the amazing owner/winemaker, Nadia! Nadia’s joyful energy is infectious and her Barolos are world class, and we were so lucky to have lunch with her and learn about her wine! My favorite bottle was her Aborina Barolo ($42): it is red fruit and earthy deliciousness. Big shoutout to Valerie Quintanilla for perfectly planning every detail of our time in Piedmont! Check out my blog posts on Planning a Trip to Barolo Wine Country and All of the Vineyards I Visited in Barolo Wine Country for more details on the trip!
Last but not least, a train ride to Milan!
Our last stop brought another round of great restaurants and wine bars, and my favorite wine we sipped in Milan was a Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi by Tenuta di Tavignano ($16)! It has floral, peach, and citrus notes and it is just easy sipping perfection! It kept us cool on our warm afternoon of city explorations, and pairs perfectly with caprese salad, seafood, or prosciutto.
Comment below and let me know what you think of each wine, and tag me in your photos drinking wines from my top picks list – I love to see it!
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Cheers!