We Americans are raised almost from birth with an intimate knowledge of our country’s various fast food selections. Even small details like the difference between a Wendy’s, McDonalds, and White Castle burger—square, $1, guaranteed stomachache, respectively—are ingrained in our cultural food knowledge.That’s how Italians are with wine. A native Italian does not drink cocktails or beer or soda for dinner, he drinks wine—or so boasted my hosts on a recent trip to three-Michelin-star restaurant La Pergola, located at the top of the Rome Cavalieri Hotel. Keep this field blank Enter your email address You may unsubscribe at any time. La Pergola’s chief sommelier Marco Reitano—who this year received the title of best sommelier from Italy’s gourmet guide Identità Golose—is an expert among experts. The La Pergola cellar is home to 3,000 labels—all of which has been tasted and then purchased either by his staff or Reitano himself. “Our selection has representation from each Italian region, representation from every type of Italian grape, and it’s also representative of world wines,” Reitano explains. 

We asked Reitano for the 10 best Italian wines, and we gave him a catch: They all had to be available for purchase in the United States either in a wine shop or by mail order. Here are his picks.Cà del Bosco Franciacorta Annamaria ClementiThis wine from Northern Italy is full-bodied with notes of citrus and a refreshing finish—perfect for an Italian-style special occasion dinner. best book on wine and spirits“It’s often compared to the French Dom Perignon,” Reitano says.top wine regions in the united statesPair with: Parma ham or spaghetti carbonaraBuy online: $65.19; top 10 wine brands worldwideVilla Raiano Fiano di AvellinoItaly’s Campania region isn’t only famous for its gulfs and the gastronomic town of Naples. wine gift set with accessories

It’s also known for the strong-flavored white Fiano grape, which is grown almost exclusively in Southern Italy. “This 100% Fiano from the southern Campania region is dry, refreshing, and mineral, with apple and walnut flavors,” describes Reitano.Pair with: Mushroom risottoBuy online: $203.88 per case; Venica Ronco delle CimeClosely related to a sauvignon blanc, the Friulano grape is one of the oldest vines in Italy’s northern Fruili region. best red wine for a cocktail party(It also goes by the name Sauvignonasse and Sauvignon Vert.) best place to buy wine in san diegoDry and fruity with an herbal finish.wine os x macPair with: Sea bass carpaccio or sautéed clamsBuy online: $30.50; best wine christmas dinner

Pieropan Soave Classico La RoccaIf you’re browsing your local shop for a bottle on this list, look for this common label. “With exotic flavors and a rich body, this is among the most long-aging Italian white wines,” Reitano says. It’s pressed from 100% garganega grapes, local from the Veneto region.Pair with: Grilled lobster or scallops saladBuy online: $42.22; best wine offers in supermarkets irelandGiacomo Conterno Barolo MonfortinoIt’s only appropriate that this wine from old vines is “probably the most long aging Italian red wine,” according to Reitano. Monfortino is a classic Barolo-style wine—designed to be aged in casks for many years and made with native Italian nebbiolo grapes. What’s the payoff of patience (and the hefty price tag)? A deep, mineral flavor with wildberry and spices.Pair with: White truffle ravioli or grilled lambBuy online: $399; Gaja Barbaresco“From the world-famous Gaja winery comes a classical bodied nebbiolo—rich and mineral, with a balsamic finish,” Reitano says.

Translation: It’s a wine that’ll put hair on your chest.Pair with: Roasted duckBuy online: $95.49 per case; Zenato Amarone della ValpolicellaFor the classic wine and cheese pairing, offer up this traditional red. The cherry fruit and a spicy tobacco finish complement any strong Italian cheese like Parmesan or pecorino.Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Poggio all’OroAs every beginning student of wine knows, every vintage has its own characteristics. So what’s a vintner to do when certain year’s weather doesn’t cooperate? They don’t sell it. That’s why you’ll only see this available in specific vintages—and why you can trust that any bottle will be of the highest quality. The taste: “Power and balance with a lot of fruit and soft tannins.”Pair with: T-bone steakBuy online: $109.99; Donnafugata Passito di Pantelleria Ben RyèIf you like sweet wines, try this sugar-rich red from the small island of Pantelleria in Sicily. “The wine has a dense body with lots of dry fruit flavors,” Reitano describes.

Pair with: CannoliBuy online: $44.99; Incisa della Rocchetta SassicaiaReitano calls this Bordeaux-style blend from the coast of Tuscany “the king of Italian wines.” It’s known as a Super Tuscan wine—a Chianti-style wine that didn’t technically meet Italy’s strict regulations to be officially labelled as Chianti.Pair with: Baked pigeon, chicken, or game henBuy it: Available at specialty wine shops for around $80/bottleA simple flow chart outlines nearly 50 different red wines by taste, plus has a list of the top 8 Italian red wines to know. Find what Italian red to try next in a useful and relatable way. There are hundreds of wine grape varieties from Italy and very few of these varieties grow outside of Italy. So, don’t worry, you’re not the only person who thinks getting into Italian wines is challenging! Here are a few tips to give you a head start on mastering Italian reds: Try The 8 Main Italian Reds: Taste Italy with just 8 major Italian red wines (see list below)

Fruit vs Earth: Italian red wines tend to be fruitier in the South and more earthy when from the North. Decant Italian Reds: It’s a great idea to decant all Italian red wines before drinking. See white background version here. Flow Chart of Italian Red Wines

Nebbiolo-based wines comes from Northwest Italy in Piedmont. photo by Brett Jones Drink By: Typically best after 4-7 years, although fine examples last longer. 173,000 Acres – All of Italy – Italy’s champion red variety, Sangiovese, goes by many names. You’ve probably heard of a few of them: This grape grows all over Italy and because of this, you’ll notice that Sangiovese wines vary widely from one region to the next. In Tuscany, you can find very earthy Sangiovese wines with black cherry notes and bold tannins, and in Southern Italy, around Campania, you can find lighter Sangiovese wines tasting of strawberries and roses with medium tannins.

Drink By: Typically best after 4-7 years of vintage, although fine examples last longer. 75,000 Acres – Central Italy – Even though Montepulciano is Italy’s second most planted grape, many have never heard of it. Montepulciano grows in Central Italy and can be found under a few common names as well: Montepulciano is deeply colored, similar to Syrah, and with very bold tannins, although some producers will blend it with other grapes to round out the flavor. Supposedly, there are less than 100 acres of this grape growing outside of Italy. Drink By: Typically best within the first 3 years. 70,000 Acres – Piedmont – Barbera is the most produced Italian red wine of Piedmont. Over 60% of the world’s Barbera vineyards exist in the region. Barbera almost always has a unique note of licorice in the taste, which is what makes it so unique. While American Barbera can be quite fruit-forward, Italian Barbera is often herbaceous with juicy acidity and tart black cherry flavors.

Drink By: Typically in 5-7 years, although fine examples last longer. 47,000 Acres – Sicily – A bold but fruit-forward variety hailing almost exclusively from Sicily. Nero d’Avola can, at times, be surprisingly similar in style to Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon. 60,000 Acres – Puglia – Primitivo is Italy’s name for Zinfandel (which is actually a Croatian grape called Tribidrag!) and Negroamaro grows alongside it in Southern Italy. These sweet tasting fruity and lighter bodied Italian wines often exhibit strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, and leather notes. Primitivo provides the fruity punch and Negroamaro has more dark fruit flavors and structure. It’s common to find them blended together. Drink By: Varies by style of Valpolicella. 22,000 Acres – Veneto – Varies on Style. A blend of Corvina, Molinara, and Rondinella. This signature blend of grapes makes everything from Veneto’s tart and simple Valpolicella Classico to the highly prized Amarone wines –a wine made by partially dehydrating Valpolicella grapes to increase the intensity of the resulting wine.

Check out this article on Valpolicella wines with a hierarchy of the styles. Drink By: Typically within the first 3 years. 18,000 Acres – Piedmont – A deeply colored red wine with high tannins but lower acidity. Dolcetto is one of the easiest wines to drink immediately instead of after several years of cellaring. This wine is made mostly in Piedmont, although it grows in Lombardy too. It can commonly be found by these names: Drink By: Typically best after 7-10 years. 12,000 Acres – Piedmont – Piedmont’s most well respected red wine is actually quite tiny in terms of how much exists in the world. Just so you have a relative comparison, there are nearly 50 times more Cabernet Sauvignon grapes planted in the world than Nebbiolo. Nebbiolo has many regional names and styles: Nebbiolo from the hotter growing areas can be very bold, tannic, and long-lived, as is the case with Barolo. In the north, as with Ghemme and Gattinara, Nebbiolo can be quite delicate and tart in taste, smelling of roses and bing cherries.