Italy is the world's largest wine producer and every single one of its 20 administrative regions makes wine. Each has a unique terroir, indigenous grapes, and centuries of winemaking tradition.
Northwest Italy
Piedmont (Piemonte)
Home to Italy's most prestigious and age-worthy wines. The Langhe and Monferrato hills produce some of the world's greatest reds. Barolo and Barbaresco — both made from Nebbiolo — are considered the "King and Queen" of Italian wine.
Central Italy
Tuscany (Toscana)
Italy's most famous wine region internationally. Rolling hills dotted with cypress trees, medieval hilltop towns, and some of the world's most coveted wines. Sangiovese is king here, expressed through Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
Northeast Italy
Veneto
Italy's largest wine-producing region by volume and home to two hugely popular styles: Prosecco and Amarone. The Valpolicella zone produces wines from the unique appassimento technique, where grapes are dried before fermentation to concentrate flavors.
Northwest Italy
Lombardy (Lombardia)
Best known for Franciacorta — Italy's answer to Champagne, made using the traditional method. The Valtellina zone on the Swiss border produces elegant Nebbiolo-based reds at altitude, offering a distinct expression of the grape compared to Piedmont.
Island Italy
Sicily (Sicilia)
Italy's largest island and its hottest wine frontier. Mount Etna has become one of the world's most exciting wine regions, producing volcanic reds and whites of extraordinary elegance. The island also produces rich Nero d'Avola reds and sweet Marsala.
Southern Italy
Campania
Home to some of Italy's most ancient and distinctive grapes. Aglianico produces intense, tannic reds that rival Barolo in structure. Fiano and Greco di Tufo are among Italy's finest white wines — aromatic, complex, and age-worthy.
Southern Italy
Puglia (Apulia)
The "heel of the boot" is Italy's second-largest wine producer. Known for full-bodied, sun-drenched reds, Puglia has undergone a quality revolution in recent years. Primitivo (genetically identical to Zinfandel) and Negroamaro lead the charge.
Northeast Italy
Trentino-Alto Adige
Italy's most Alpine wine region, with German-speaking Alto Adige in the north and Italian-speaking Trentino in the south. Produces crisp, mineral-driven whites and aromatic varieties at altitude. Also home to Trentodoc — Italy's only DOC dedicated to sparkling wine.
Northeast Italy
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Widely considered Italy's finest white wine region. The Collio and Colli Orientali del Friuli zones produce whites of exceptional purity and complexity. Also the epicenter of Italy's "orange wine" renaissance.
Central-North Italy
Emilia-Romagna
Italy's gastronomic heartland — home to Parma ham, Parmigiano-Reggiano, balsamic vinegar, and Lambrusco. This sparkling red wine has shed its cheap image and now offers serious, terroir-driven examples alongside Sangiovese-based Romagna wines.
Central Italy
Abruzzo
Rugged, mountainous, and home to one of Italy's best-value red grapes: Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. Don't confuse it with the Tuscan town — this grape produces deeply colored, richly fruity reds at remarkably affordable prices.
Island Italy
Sardinia (Sardegna)
A fiercely independent island with a wine culture shaped by Spanish rule and ancient traditions. Cannonau (Grenache) is the star — locals claim it's the grape's birthplace. Vermentino di Gallura is the island's lone DOCG, producing crisp, saline whites.
Central Italy
Marche
An Adriatic coastal region known for Verdicchio — one of Italy's most underrated white grapes. The amphora-shaped bottle is iconic. Rosso Conero and Rosso Piceno offer excellent Montepulciano and Sangiovese blends.
Central Italy
Umbria
The "green heart of Italy" — landlocked and lush. Sagrantino di Montefalco is one of Italy's most tannic and powerful reds, while Orvieto Classico produces delicate, honeyed whites from an ancient volcanic caldera.
Northwest Italy
Liguria
Italy's dramatic Riviera coast, where vineyards cling to impossibly steep terraces. Tiny production, but the wines are special — Cinque Terre's whites and Rossese di Dolceacqua's light reds pair perfectly with the local seafood cuisine.
Southern Italy
Calabria
The "toe of the boot" — ancient Greek settlers called it Enotria, "land of wine." Cirò is one of the oldest continuously produced wines in the world, made from Gaglioppo. A region ripe for rediscovery.
Southern Italy
Basilicata
A wildly mountainous region with one superstar wine: Aglianico del Vulture, grown on the slopes of an extinct volcano. Often called "the Barolo of the South" for its structure, tannins, and aging potential.
Central-South Italy
Molise
Italy's least-known wine region — so small and obscure that Italians joke "Molise doesn't exist." But it does, and its indigenous Tintilia grape produces structured, dark-fruited reds that deserve attention.
Northwest Italy
Valle d'Aosta
Italy's smallest and most Alpine wine region, bordering France and Switzerland. Vineyards climb to over 1,200 meters — among Europe's highest. Unique varieties like Petit Rouge and Fumin produce light, mountain-scented reds.
Central Italy
Lazio
Rome's home region, historically known for easy-drinking white wines — especially Frascati. Modern producers are raising the bar dramatically, and Cesanese del Piglio DOCG is proving that Lazio can make serious reds too.
Now that you know the regions, test your knowledge!
Take the Quiz →