Wine is an important part of everyday life for many Italians, so it is appropriate that Italy produces more of the beverage than any other country in the world. Much of Italy, in fact, is amply suited to wine growing, with the kinds of rolling, sun-drenched hills that vines favor being in abundance from north to south.
Although Italy produces more wine than any competitor, its wines are not as well understood as they might be. Italian Wines run the whole range of flavors and weights that can be expected from one of the world’s most important beverages, and they do so in frequently unique ways.
Of all the modern Italian Wines, Chianti is likely the best known and most popular. Unlike the single-varietal wines that many people in the United States and elsewhere are most familiar with, wine produced in Chianti invariably incorporates a special blend of grapes.
Formerly, that blend regularly included grapes normally used for white wine, lightening up the resulting product. Today, producers tend to stick with only heavier-skinned red grapes that contribute to more in the way of body and potency of the finished product.
Wine producers do enjoy plenty of leeway as to the exact mix of grapes that goes into their Chianti wine, however. Most commonly, a wine coming from the Chianti region will be based heavily on the Sangiovese grapes that grow so well there, with additions of grapes like those of the Canaiolo varietal being common, too.
Because of the variation that can be expected not just with regard to local growing conditions but also in terms of grape blend, Chianti wines exhibit an impressive range of characters. Because of this, companies like Towne Cellars Wines & Liquors Inc. often make an effort to stock a large number of different Chianti wines, because each of these vintages is likely to have something unique and interesting to offer to buyers.
With even a single, well-known wine encompassing such a broad range of flavors, it is no wonder that some consider Italy’s wine output to be some of the most varied of all. Beyond well-known wine-producing regions like Chianti, the country has dozens of other equally fascinating places to offer to those who care to investigate.
