Woodbury Wine Wizard

In no way are the wines of southern Italy new. As a matter of fact, they are some of the world’s oldest, going back centuries to the Roman Empire. However, they are experiencing a resurgence here in the U.S. that offers consumers new and exciting choices. Wines of northern Italy have dominated shelf space for years, and for good reason. Barolo, Brunello, Chianti, Prosecco and Amarone are household names. They deserve to be!

Wines of southern Italy are exploding in popularity, quality and availability. Varieties non-existent here 10 years ago are making their way to local stores. Red varieties such as Negroamaro, Primitivo, Nero d’Avola, Nerello Mascalese and Aglianico are rich and full-bodied that taste great on their own or pair excellently with food. Whites are equally as exciting. Examples include Greco, Vermentino and Varnaccia.
 
Italian wines can be intimidating to the average consumers. Italy is home to more than a thousand varieties. Indigenous varieties are hard to pronounce and aren’t easily recognizable. This lack of familiarity prevents us from taking risks with new wine. Next time you’re picking up a pizza on the way home, take a risk and grab a Nero d’Avola from Sicily. Remember, what grows together, goes together. Ciao.