Italian Wine

Two things: an unmatched wealth of indigenous grape varieties, more than any other country, and a deep low-intervention tradition. Together they give a range of flavors and styles you simply cannot find anywhere else.

From Friuli-Venezia Giulia in the northeast, especially the Collio and the village of Oslavia. Growers such as Josko Gravner and Stanko Radikon revived long skin-contact whites there, helping launch the modern orange wine movement.

Etna wine comes from vineyards on the slopes of Sicily's active volcano. Reds are made from Nerello Mascalese and whites from Carricante, grown at high elevation on volcanic soils, giving mineral, high-acid wines with real precision.

Natural Lambrusco is a dry, lightly sparkling red from Emilia, often made by refermenting in the bottle and leaving the sediment in. Made from organic grapes with minimal intervention, it is savory and refreshing, far from the sweet industrial version.

Among many others: Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Nerello Mascalese, Ribolla Gialla, Trebbiano, Montepulciano, Frappato, and Nero d'Avola. Italy's huge library of native varieties is what gives the collection its range.

Most is. The majority of Italian natural growers farm organically or biodynamically, and grower associations such as VinNatur set shared standards for clean farming and low-intervention winemaking.