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The Grand Tour - Italy’s Fine Wines

In my journey up and down the Italian peninsula I am delighted to bring you a better-than-ever range of reasonably priced wines. I have been helped along the way by producers who are keen to step out from the shadow of their neighbours, France, and prove to the world that their wines are among the best too.

They have certainly got the raw material, with noble indigenous grapes such as Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Corvina, and Aglianico leading the way. They have also got the terroir, be it the calcareous sandy clay soils of Piedmont’s Langhe region that is home to Nebbiolo, the Apennine galestro-strewn foothills beloved of Sangiovese, the steep basaltic, calcareous soils on which Corvina perches among the Lessini Mountains near Verona, or Campania’s limy Irpinian Hills and Basilicata’s volcanic mountain, both home to Aglianico. And, of course, they have the wines too: Barolo, Chianti Classico, Valpolicella and Taurasi, to name but a few.

And before I forget, make sure that you pick up a case of the brand new 2008 Berrys’ Own Selection Barolo, made by the historical Verduno cantina Fratelli Alessandria.

David Berry Green, Berrys' Italy Buyer

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Barolo, Barbaresco, Nebiollo, Piedmont wines Tuscany, Chianti Classico, Brunello wines
Trentino Alto-Adige, Fruili-Venezia-Giulia, Northeast Italy Wines Valpolicella and Veneto Wines
Marche and Umbria Italian Wines Basilicata, Puglia Campania, Sicily & Calabria Wines

Grand Tour Italy - Producers featured at a Glance
Piedmont  North East Italy Tuscany Southern Italy
Trentino-Alto-Adige Fruili-Venezia-Giulia Veneto Marche Umbria Sicily Puglia Basilicata Campania Calabria

Vintage Reports
italian wine vintage 2006
Vintage 2006

A legendary vintage in the North and centre, marked by just enough heat and humidity to deliver reasonable quantities of fine fruit that made savoury wines for long term drinking.

The South was dogged by a wet August that brought on peronospera, and this required much hard work in the vineyard.
Vintage 2007

Almost throughout Italy, 2007 was marked by a warm winter and long, dry summer. In Piedmont hail further concentrated the crop and raised alcohols too.

Just enough rain and plenty of sun favoured Tuscan Sangiovese and 2007s are benchmark examples.

The South was particularly dry and hot; lower than average yields delivered a great intensity of flavours. Overall, this is a vintage for earlier appreciation.
Vintage 2008

Cooler and damper than in recent years, the Northern regions were saved by an Indian summer that especially benefited Nebbiolo and gave this variety a ‘classic’ vintage.

By contrast the South enjoyed hot and dry weather that resulted in full and generous wines.

The centre of Italy too benefited from a fine autumn. This is a vintage for drinking in the medium to long term.