If you want to learn a little more about wine, it’s a good idea to start with Italian varieties. The following table identifies the grape varieties behind many of Italy’s most important wines. Note that many of these wines are blends of two or more grape varieties.
| Region/Red Wine | White Wine | Grape Varieties |
|---|---|---|
| Piedmont | ||
| Barolo | Nebbiolo | |
| Barbaresco | ||
| Gattinara | Nebbiolo, Bonarda* | |
| Gavi | Cortese | |
| Tuscany | ||
| Chianti, Chianti Classico | Sangiovese, Canaiolo, and others* | |
| Brunello di Montalcino | Sangiovese Grosso | |
| Vino Nobile di Montepulciano | Sangiovese, Canaiolo, and others* | |
| Carmignano | Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon* | |
| Super-Tuscans** | Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, and others* | |
| Veneto | ||
| Soave | Garganega, Trebbiano di Soave, and others* | |
| Valpolicella | Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara* | |
| Amarone | (Same grapes as Valpolicella; semi-dried) | |
| Bardolino | Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara* | |
| Bianco di Custoza | Trebbiano, Garganega, Friulano* | |
| Lugana*** | Trebbiano di Lugana |
* Blended wines, made from two or more grapes.
** Untraditional wines produced mainly in the Chianti district; see the discussion under Tuscany.
*** Much of the Lugana wine zone is actually in Lombardy.