Italian Wine Tasting For Beginners
Nine times out of ten, the first question I get asked when people find out that I live in Italy is some variation of: “So what do you do, sit around and drink wine all day?” While I laughingly answer in the negative, the truth is, if I wanted to, I could.
Being stationed in Italy means direct access to some of the world’s most prominent wines, and on top of that, the ability to sample said wines straight from the source: in the regions and at the wineries that produce them.
It’s exciting to be sure, but for someone who is new to Italy and new to wine, it’s also kind of intimidating. “How do I know what wines to try?”, “Where can I try them?”, “What if I don’t speak Italian?” These are all valid questions, and ones I shared when I arrived at Aviano two years ago. But don’t let them stop you! An exploration of the exciting culture of Italian wine is one where there is no judgement, no expectations and one that you will certainly not regret.
Here are a few simple principles on tasting wine in Italy to start you on your way.
Wine Tasting Basics
Generally-speaking, if you’re interested in sampling some vino italiano, there are a few options at-hand:
first, you can pop into a bar and order a glass of red or white wine that will generally be poured from the tap. very easy-to-drink, these wines are usually locally-produced, and are inexpensive if not particularly distinctive.
alternatively, for more selection and the opportunity to purchase bottles to take away, an enoteca (wine shop) is just the ticket. the vintners who work there are incredibly knowledgeable, and will gladly guide you to a particular region or wine style based on your personal palette or interests.
last but certainly not least, you can immerse yourself completely by arranging a tasting directly at a vineyard. pre-planned visits usually include a guided tour of the grounds, which makes for a longer but much more well-rounded experience. Learning about the terrain, the vineyard’s history and the people who produce the wines can offer valuable and insightful context into why they taste the way they do.
It’s also not surprising for an Italian winery to be housed in say, a 16th-Century Venetian villa or a restored castle from the 1700’s, so the settings have a tendency to be spectacular.
A standard tasting will include between three and five wines, and cost anywhere from five to fifteen euro. The pricing usually depends on the quality of the wines being served; more expensive wines, more expensive samples! Oftentimes the winery will provide a light but delicious snack of local products like meats, bread and cheeses.
bosco del merlot winery, fvg
mario schiopetto winery, fvg
castello di roncade winery, veneto
Come si dice…?
A winery will almost always have a host on-site who speaks English well, but an enoteca or ristorante could be hit-or-miss. Either way, here are some simple words and phrases to help you whittle away at the language barrier between you and your next glass!
Wine (Red/White) — Vino (Rosso/Bianco)
A Tasting — Una degustazione
Wine Bar — Enoteca
The Wine List — La lista dei vini
I’ll Take a Glass of Wine — Prendo un bicchiere di vino
We’d Like a Bottle of Wine — Vorremo una bottiglia di vino
Where is the Cork? — Dov’e il tappo?
It’s great! — E ottimo!
Another, Please! — Un altro, per favore!
Popular Wine Regions Near Italy’s Military Installations
Valdobbiadene, the prosecco-producing region of veneto, near both vincenca & aviano bases
I read that if you tried a new Italian wine every week, it would take you 20 years to taste all the wines Italy has to offer. That’s pretty daunting…where to start? I’d suggest your home base.
Each of the military bases in Italy is located in a different region, meaning they all can be spots from which to delve into different wine destinations. Where are you stationed? Follow the links below to discover some simple suggestions for wines to try near you, and check out this enormously-helpful map of popular grapes from each of Italy’s 20 regions.
Aviano Air Base, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, veneto, sudtirol/alto adige
Camp Darby, tuscany
vincenza, veneto, valpolicella
Caserma Ederle, Veneto (link to article)
NAS Sigonell, Sicilia
Essential Wine Resources
Wine Folly Blog & Book: These are each excellent resources for beginners, and can help you understand the broad strokes of both wine in general, and Italian wine specifically.
Vivino: This app is great for keeping track of wines you taste, wines that are in your cellar, and learning what both experts and everyday drinkers think of a particular bottle. It also offers ecommerce, making it extremely easy to purchase a case or two of a favorite.
Decanter: This website is waiting for you when you’re ready to learn a lot more about wine and travel to wine destinations outside of your local area.
Cin Cin!