Wine grape varieties of Italy

Chardonnay (, ; ) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of east-central France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For new and developing wine regions, growing Chardonnay is seen as a 'rite of passage' and an easy entry into the international wine market.

Merlot ( ) is a dark-blue-colored wine grape variety that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to be a diminutive of , the French name for the blackbird, probably a reference to the color of the grape. Its softness and "fleshiness", combined with its earlier ripening, make Merlot a popular grape for blending with the sterner, later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon, which tends to be higher in tannin.

class of grape varieties

white wine grape

thumb|Grenache noir grapes Grenache (, ) or Garnacha () is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world. It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry conditions such as those found in Spain, where the grape is believed to have originated. It is also grown in the Italian island of Sardinia, the south of France, Australia, and California's Monterey AVA, Paso Robles, Santa Barbara County and San Joaquin Valley.

Zinfandel, known as Primitivo in Italy and Crljenak Kaštelanski or Tribidrag in Croatia, and as Kratošija () in Montenegro, is a variety of black-skinned wine grape. The variety is grown in over 10 percent of California vineyards.

Nebbiolo (, ; ) is an Italian red wine grape variety predominantly associated with its native Piedmont region, where it makes the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) wines of Barolo, Barbaresco, Gattinara, Ghemme, and Roero, together with numerous DOC wines. Nebbiolo is thought to derive its name from the Italian or Piedmontese , meaning 'fog'. During harvest, which generally takes place late in October, a deep, intense fog sets into the Langhe region where many Nebbiolo vineyards are located. Alternative explanations refer to the fog-like glaucous veil that forms over the

Malvasia (), also known as Malvazia, is a group of wine grape varieties grown historically in the Mediterranean region and Macaronesia, but now grown in many of the winemaking regions of the world. In the past, the names Malvasia, Malvazia, and Malmsey have been used interchangeably for Malvasia-based wines; however, in modern oenology, "Malmsey" is now used almost exclusively for a sweet variety of Madeira wine made from the Malvasia grape. Grape varieties in this family include Malvasia bianca, Malvasia di Schierano, Malvasia negra, , Malvasia nera di Brindisi, Malvasia di Candia aromatica,

Sangiovese is a red Italian wine grape variety that derives its name from the Latin , "blood of Jupiter".

Trebbiano is an Italian wine grape, one of the most widely planted grape varieties in the world. It gives good yields, but tends to yield undistinguished wine. It can be fresh and fruity, but does not keep long. Also known as ugni blanc, it has many other names reflecting a family of local subtypes, particularly in Italy and France. Its high acidity makes it important in Cognac and Armagnac productions. Trebbiano is also used to produce balsamic vinegar.

thumb|A glass of Lambrusco (Grasparossa version) Lambrusco (, ) is the name of both an Italian red wine grape and a wine made principally from the grape. The grapes and the wine originate from four zones in Emilia-Romagna and one in Lombardy―principally around the central provinces of Modena, Parma, Reggio-Emilia, and Mantua. The grape has a long winemaking history, with archaeological evidence indicating that the Etruscans cultivated the vine. In Roman times Lambrusco was highly valued for its productivity and high yields, with Cato the Elder stating that produce of two-thirds of an acre coul

Barbera is a red Italian wine grape variety that, as of 2000, was the third most-planted red grape variety in Italy (after Sangiovese and Montepulciano). It produces good yields and is known for deep color, full body, low tannins and high levels of acidity.

thumb|Cinsaut growing in the Côtes du Luberon

most important red wine grape in Sicily

Corvina is an Italian wine grape variety that is sometimes also referred to as Corvina Veronese or Cruina. The total global wine-growing area in 2010 was , all of which is grown in the Veneto region of northeast Italy, except for planted in Argentina. Corvina is used with several other grapes to create the light red regional wines Bardolino and Valpolicella that have a mild fruity flavor with hints of almond. These blends include Corvinone, Rondinella, and Molinara, and Rossignola for the latter wine. It is also used for the production of Amarone and Recioto.

Negroamaro (seldom Negro amaro; meaning "black [and] bitter") is a red wine grape variety native to southern Italy. It is grown almost exclusively in Apulia and particularly in Salento, the peninsula which can be visualised as the "heel" of Italy. The grape can produce wines very deep in color. Wines made from Negroamaro tend to be very rustic in character, combining perfume with an earthy bitterness. The grape produces some of the best red wines of Apulia, particularly when blended with the highly scented Malvasia Nera, as in the case of Salice Salentino.

Dolcetto ( , , ) is a black Italian wine grape variety widely grown in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. The Italian word dolcetto means "little sweet one", but it is not certain that the name originally carried any reference to the grape’s sugar levels: it is possible that it derives from the name of the hills where the vine is cultivated. In any case the wines produced are nearly always dry. They can be tannic and fruity with moderate, or decidedly low, levels of acidity and are typically meant to be consumed within a few years after release.

Vermentino is a light-skinned wine grape variety, primarily found in Italian wine. It is widely planted in Sardinia, Liguria and Tuscany, to some extent in Corsica, in Piedmont under the name Favorita, and in increasing amounts in Languedoc-Roussillon. The leaves are dark green and pentagonal. The grapes are amber-yellow and hang in pyramidal bunches. The vines are often grown on slopes facing the sea where they can benefit from the additional reflected light. The Vitis International Variety Catalogue now gives Italy as its origin.

Garganega (, ; meaning "from Gargano") is a variety of white Italian wine grape widely grown in the Veneto region of north east Italy, particularly in the provinces of Verona and Vicenza. It is Italy's sixth most widely planted white grape. It forms the basis of Venetian white wine Soave and is also a major portion of the blend used to make Gambellara.

Arneis is a white Italian wine grape variety originating from Piedmont, Italy. It is most commonly found in the hills of the Roero, northwest of Alba, where it is part of the white Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) wines of Roero. It can also be used to produce DOC wines in Langhe. Arneis (literally: "worthless thing", in Piemontese) is so called because it is regarded as a somewhat difficult variety to grow. It is a crisp and floral varietal, and has been grown for centuries in the region. The white wines made from the Arneis grape tend to be dry and full bodied with not

Italian wine made in Abruzzo from Montepulciano grapes

Rondinella is an Italian wine grape variety. Almost all of the total global growing area of is in the Veneto region of northern Italy, and the grapes are used in wines from the Valpolicella and Bardolino wine regions. Rondinella always appears in these wines blended with Corvina (which DNA evidence has shown to be a parent variety), as a secondary constituent along with Corvinone and Molinara. The grape has rather neutral flavors but is favored by growers due to its prolific yields. The vine is very resistant to grape disease and produces grapes that, while they do not necessarily have high su

wine grape

Verdicchio (, also , ) is a white Italian wine grape variety grown primarily in the Marche region of central Italy. The name Verdicchio derives from verde (or "green") and refers to the slight green/yellow hue that wines made from the grape can have.

grape variety

grape variety from central Italy

Lagrein () is a red wine grape variety native to the valleys of South Tyrol, northern Italy. Along with Marzemino, it is a descendant of Teroldego, and related to Syrah, Pinot noir and Dureza.

varietal

red Italian wine grape

Grillo, also known as Riddu and Rossese bianco, is a white Italian wine grape variety that withstands high temperatures and is widely used in Sicilian winemaking and, in particular, for making Marsala. Its origins are uncertain, but it may have been introduced into the island of Sicily from Apulia. It was already widely planted in the Province of Trapani by 1897; today it may be grown throughout Sicily and also in the Aeolian Islands.

right|thumb|A varietal Marzemino from Trentino Marzemino is a red Italian wine grape variety that is primarily grown around Isera, south of Trentino. The wine is most noted for its mention in the opera Don Giovanni, the music for which was composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ("Versa il vino! Eccellente Marzimino!"). The vine ripens late and is susceptible to many grape diseases, including oidium. Wine produced from the grape has a characteristic dark tint and light plummy taste.

Falanghina, also called Falanghina Greco, is a variety of wine grape, Vitis vinifera, used for white wines. It is an ancient grape variety which may have provided a basis for the classical Falernian wine, and has considerable character. It is cultivated on the coast of Campania north of Naples, and frequently consumed in southern Italy along with seafood. The name for the wine appears to derive from the Latin falangae, or stakes for supporting the grapes in a vineyard. In November 2014 Falanghina was approved as a recognized varietal by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau for use in t

right|thumb|Croatina grapes Croatina is a red Italian wine grape variety that is grown primarily in the Oltrepò Pavese region of Lombardy and in the Province of Piacenza within Emilia Romagna, but also in parts of Piedmont and the Veneto. In the Oltrepò Pavese, in the hills of Piacenza, in Cisterna d’Asti and San Damiano d’Asti (Province of Asti), and in Roero this variety is called ‘Bonarda’. It should not, however be confused with the Bonarda piemontese, which is an unrelated vine. In the Piedmont region, it is sometimes blended with Nebbiolo in wines of Novara and Vercelli Hills.

Ancellotta is a wine grape variety mainly grown in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, but also in some other parts of north Italy, and in south Switzerland.

Freisa is a red Italian wine grape variety grown in the Piedmont region of north-west Italy, primarily in Monferrato and in the Langhe, but also further north in the provinces of Turin and Biella. Freisa is a vigorous and productive vine whose round, blue-black grapes are harvested in early October. The three-lobed leaves are relatively small and the bunches are elongated in form. By the 1880s it had become one of the major Piedmontese grapes, and in that period its cultivation was stimulated by the vine's resistance to the downy mildew caused by the Plasmopara viticola fungus. Wines made from

Sagrantino is an Italian grape variety that is indigenous to the region of Umbria in Central Italy. It is grown primarily in the village of Montefalco and the surrounding area, with a recent rapid increase in planting area from in 2000 to by 2010 dedicated to the grape, in the hands of about 50 producers.

Sauvignonasse (also known as Friulano, Tocai Friulano or Sauvignon Vert) is a white wine grape of the species Vitis vinifera prevalent in the Italian region of Friuli, and adjacent territories of Slovenia. It is widely planted in Chile, where it was historically mistaken for Sauvignon blanc.

a white Italian wine grape .

Grechetto () or Grechetto bianco is a white Italian wine grape variety of Greek origins. The grape is planted throughout central Italy, particularly in the Umbria region where it is used in the Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) wine Orvieto and Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) wine Valdichiana Toscana. It is primarily a blending grape, though some varietal wine is also produced. Grechetto is commonly blended with Chardonnay, Malvasia, Trebbiano and Verdello. The grape's thick skin provides good resistance to downy mildew which can attack the grape late in the harvest season.

right|thumb|A Teroldego wine made in California. Teroldego (, ) is a red Italian grape variety grown primarily in the northeastern region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Italy.

right|thumb|A Tuscan wine made from Vernaccia. Vernaccia is a white wine grape that is found in many Italian wines but is most commonly associated the Tuscan wine Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Ampelographers have determined that the Vernaccia vine has many clonal varieties but is unrelated to some Italian vines known as "Vernaccia" such as the Sardinian varieties used in the Sherry-like wine Vernaccia di Oristano, the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol red wine grape known as Vernatsch or the black grape used in the red sparkling wine of the Marche Vernaccia di Serrapetrona. A possible reason for this

Ciliegiolo is a variety of red wine grape from Italy, named after the Italian for 'cherry'. It is a minor component of traditional blends such as Chianti, but interest has revived in recent years. In Umbria it is made into a light quaffing wine, while in Tuscany it is made into a bigger, more structured style.

varietal

Refosco is a very old family of dark-skinned grape varieties native to the Venetian zone and neighbouring areas of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Gavi, Trentino, Istria, and Karst Plateau. It is considered autochthonous in these regions.

Ruché ( , ; ) is a red Italian wine grape variety from the Piedmont region. It is largely used in making Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato, a small production red varietal wine which was granted Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) status by presidential decree on October 22, 1987, and was granted the more prestigious Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) status in 2010. The current DOC recognized area of production for the wine covers only about 100 acres (40 hectares) of vines around the villages of Castagnole Monferrato, Refrancore, Grana, Montemagno, Viarigi, Scurzolen

Corvinone is a red Italian wine grape variety native to the Veneto region of northern Italy. In 2010 a total grape growing area of was planted worldwide, with all of it in Italy save for in Argentina. Seldom found in wine alone, Corvinone is blended, along with Rondinella, Molinara and other autochthonous varieties, in Corvina-dominant red wines of the Valpolicella and Bardolino regions of Veneto. Corvinone is similar enough to the more widespread Corvina variety that it has historically often been mistaken as a clone; indeed its name in Italian suggests a meaning of "large corvina". More rece

right|thumb|Sparkling wine made from Brachetto

Picolit (also known as Piccolit and Piccolito) is a white Italian wine grape grown in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of northeast Italy. The grape is allowed in the Denominazione di origine controllata e garantita (DOCG) wines of Colli Orientali del Friuli. The grape is most commonly associated with sweet dessert wines often made in the passito style. Historically planted in poor and infertile vineyards, the grape gets its name from the very small stalk, which in friulian language is called pecolèt or pecolùt. The grape had a worldwide reputation in the 18th century when it was featured in r

variety of grape

Verduzzo (or Verduzzo Friulano) is a white Italian wine grape grown predominantly in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of northeast Italy. It is also found in significant plantings in the Piave Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) of the Veneto region, though some of these plantings may be of the separate Verduzzo Trevigiano variety. Verduzzo Friulano is used in varietal and blended wines, many of which fall under DOC as well as vino da tavola designations, that range in style from dry to late harvest wines. According to wine expert Oz Clarke, most of the sweeter examples of Verduzzo can

grape variety

variety of grape

varietal

Schioppettino (; meaning "gunshot" or "little crack", also known as "Ribolla Nera") is a red Italian wine grape grown predominantly in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region of northeast Italy. The grape is believed to have originated between the comune of Prepotto and the Slovenian border, where records of the Schiopettino wine being used in marriage ceremonies date to 1282. The grape was nearly lost to extinction following the phylloxera epidemic of the late 19th century, when vineyard owners decided against replanting the variety in favor of French wine grapes like Cabernet franc, Cabernet Sauvig

Susumaniello is an ancient variety of red wine grape grown in the province of Brindisi, Salento, Southern Italy.

Pelaverga is a red wine grape variety native to Piedmont. It is described as rare and pale, and lends itself to making lightly sparkling, strawberry-flavoured wines.

Italian wine

right|thumb|A wine from the Colline di Levanto DOC that includes Albarola in the blend. Albarola is a white Italian wine grape variety grown in the northwest Italy. It is most commonly found in the Liguria region where producers in the Cinqueterre Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) use it as a blending component. Wine expert Jancis Robinson describes the wine made from Albarola as fairly "neutral" in profile. Outside of Liguria, the grape was historically grown in Sicily but for most of the 20th century has been declining in plantings along with other ancient Sicilian varieties like Al

red wine grape