A Regional Renaissance in Italian Wine

If you’ve wandered the vineyards of Tuscany, sipped prosecco in the Veneto, or decanted Barolo in a candlelit cellar, you already know Italy offers far more than just wine – it offers terroir with soul. But even seasoned travelers and collectors are now turning their attention beyond the storied DOCGs (Designation of Origin Controlled and Guaranteed) and polished Super Tuscans. A quiet transformation is underway, and it’s not happening in the limelight of Montalcino or Barbaresco.

Italy is in the midst of a regional renaissance – an invigorated embrace of lesser-known grapes, overlooked microclimates, and sustainable practices that honor tradition while breaking it open. Indigenous varietals, once blended or ignored, are now taking center stage. Historic estates are crafting radical new expressions. And younger winemakers, often farming organically or biodynamically, are choosing character over conformity.

This list is not just a tour of great bottles – it is a passport to the Italy you don’t yet know. Each wine tells a story of place, possibility, and bold redefinition. From volcanic Grillo bubbles in Sicily to Alpine pinot grigio, from dry Aleatico in Marche to single-varietal Nerello Cappuccio on Etna, these are wines that make even the most seasoned palate stop and ask, “Where has this been hiding?”

Tenuta Gorghi Tondi “Palmarès” Spumante Brut NV – Sicilia DOC

Grape: Grillo

What makes it unique: Grillo has roots in Marsala production, but here it’s reborn as a dry, organic sparkling wine from coastal vineyards bordering a nature preserve. Made with no added sugar and a deliberate focus on freshness over sweetness, it offers a refined, Mediterranean answer to prosecco – one shaped by sea breezes and volcanic soil. It is a remarkable example of Sicily’s ongoing reinvention, especially in the hands of sustainable, female-led estates like Gorghi Tondi.

Tasting notes: Lemon zest, white peach, wild herbs, and chalky minerality.

Pairing: Sicilian-style crudo, sea salt chips with aioli, or lemon risotto with shrimp.

Cora Pinot Grigio 2023 – Colline Pescaresi IGT, Abruzzo

Grape: Pinot Grigio

What makes it unique: This clean, crisp white from Abruzzo stands out not for its grape, but for its ethics. The estate is solar-powered, herbicide-free, and carbon-neutral – proving that sustainability and affordability can go hand-in-hand. It’s the kind of everyday wine that makes you feel good about every glass poured.

Tasting notes: Green apple, lemon peel, spring flowers, and a fresh, snappy finish.

Pairing: Caprese salad, shellfish, or pasta with fresh peas and mint.

Elena Walch Pinot Grigio Selezione 2023 – Alto Adige DOC

Grape: Pinot Grigio

What makes it unique: Pinot Grigio is often dismissed as simple, but in Alto Adige, it becomes something else entirely – mineral, alpine, and elegant. Elena Walch’s family estate cultivates this wine at high elevation, allowing it to retain acidity while developing aromatic depth. For those used to neutral, mass-market versions, this is a revelation.

Tasting notes: White pear, mountain herbs, saline edge, and citrus blossom.

Pairing: Trout almondine, white asparagus, or chilled farro salad with herbs.

Villa Ligi “Albaspino” 2023 – Bianchello del Metauro DOC, Marche

Grape: Biancame

What makes it unique: In the softly rolling hills of northern Marche, Villa Ligi is bringing the ancient Biancame grape – locally known as Bianchello – back into the conversation. Historically overshadowed by the broader central Italian white wine scene, this varietal is undergoing a thoughtful revival in the Metauro Valley. The wine’s saline edge and alpine clarity reflect both elevation and proximity to the Adriatic, making it a standout for warm-weather sipping by the sea.

Tasting notes: White flowers, lemon rind, green almond, and crushed shell minerality.

Pairing: Grilled dorade, herbed ricotta crostini, or lemon-butter pasta with clams.

Scaia Bianco 2023 – Trevenezie IGT, Veneto

Grapes: Garganega, Chardonnay

What makes it unique: The Scaia project was born from a desire to modernize Veneto’s image. By blending Garganega – normally associated with Soave – with Chardonnay, the family behind Tenuta Sant’Antonio offers a clean, youthful expression that’s both fruit-forward and mineral-laced. This isn’t your grandparents’ white table wine – it’s proof that Veneto can be fresh, drinkable, and fashion-forward.

Tasting notes: Acacia blossom, citrus peel, white peach, and a touch of salinity.

Pairing: Aperitifs on the deck, sushi, or linguine with lemon and zucchini.

Villa Ligi “Vernaculum” 2023 – Pergola Rosso DOC, Marche

Grape: Aleatico

What makes it unique: Aleatico is typically used to make sweet wines in central and southern Italy, but Villa Ligi produces a dry, aromatic red. It is perfumed, playful, and surprisingly structured – an entirely new expression of a grape many sommeliers haven’t even tasted dry. This creative reinterpretation is part of a larger movement in Italy’s lesser-known DOCs, where winemakers are embracing hyper-local grapes and elevating them beyond tradition.

Tasting notes: Red plum, rose petals, dried cranberry, and a hint of white pepper.

Pairing: Tuna niçoise, pork tenderloin with cherries, or rosemary-roasted eggplant.

Cleto Chiarli “Vecchia Modena Premium” 2023 – Lambrusco di Sorbara DOC, Emilia-Romagna

Grape: Lambrusco di Sorbara

What makes it unique: Once dismissed as a sweet red fizz, Lambrusco is undergoing a full-blown reputation revival – and Chiarli is leading the charge. Its Sorbara bottling is dry, aromatic, and refined, made in the traditional single-fermentation method and packaged under the same label it used in 1892. This is not just a wine; it’s a re-education.

Tasting notes: Strawberry, red currant, violet, and clean acidity.

Pairing: Salumi platters, fried zucchini blossoms, or summer picnic fare.

Chiara Condello Sangiovese – Predappio DOC, Emilia-Romagna

Grape: Sangiovese

What makes it unique: In the limestone-rich soils of Predappio, Chiara Condello is redefining Sangiovese. Her wines are light in body but deep in nuance, channeling the tension of marine fossils, high elevation, and organic farming. It’s a cerebral expression – feminine, textured, and quietly powerful – that’s turning Predappio into one of Italy’s most exciting emerging appellations.

Tasting notes: Wild cherry, bay leaf, rose petal, and mineral spine.

Pairing: Salumi and sheep’s cheese, tagliatelle al pomodoro, or mushroom tart.

Benanti Nerello Cappuccio 2021– Terre Siciliane IGT, Etna

Grape: Nerello Cappuccio

What makes it unique: On Etna, Nerello Mascalese is the star, but Nerello Cappuccio – the supporting actor in many Etna Rosso blends – rarely takes center stage. Benanti changes that with this rare single-varietal bottling, showcasing the grape’s smoky, herbal character and delicate structure. It’s an intellectual wine, but also a sensory one – proof that Etna still has secrets to share.

Tasting notes: Dried thyme, cranberry, volcanic ash, and red cherry.

Pairing: Smoked swordfish, grilled eggplant, or rosemary lamb meatballs.

Argiano “Solengo” 2021 – Toscana IGT, Montalcino

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese

What makes it unique: Solengo was the first Super Tuscan born from Montalcino, created by Giacomo Tachis (of Sassicaia fame). While Brunello remains the region’s flagship, Solengo helped establish a new identity for Montalcino in the 1990s – one that could compete globally while embracing modern techniques. Today, it’s made with the same bold spirit: structured, age-worthy, but increasingly balanced.

Tasting notes: Black cherry, graphite, sandalwood, and balsamic herbs.

Pairing: Grilled mushrooms with rosemary, or veal chops.

In a wine world that can often feel too familiar – where even excellence can start to echo itself – it’s refreshing to sip something that surprises. These bottles are not just excellent; they’re alive. They challenge assumptions, illuminate forgotten corners of the Italian map, and offer you the chance to expand your rotation with something both meaningful and delicious.

Whether you’re setting the table for a party, packing a picnic for the beach, or simply looking to bring home a bottle that invites conversation, these wines rise to the occasion. They don’t need the prestige of a famous appellation to impress. They impress because they are intentional: farmed with care, crafted with curiosity, and rooted in the deep regional pride that makes Italy endlessly compelling.