Italian Wine on Sommo — AI Wine Scanner, WSET Prep & Wine Journal App

Vermentino Wine Guide: The Underrated White You Need to Try

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

If you have ever reached for a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc at the fish counter, it is time to meet your new favourite. Vermentino is the sun-drenched, saline-kissed white that coastal Italy and southern France have been quietly obsessing over for centuries. And it deserves far more attention than it gets.

What Does Vermentino Taste Like?

Vermentino has a distinctive flavour profile that sets it apart from its better-known rivals:

Wine and Pasta Pairing: The Complete Guide

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Pasta and wine are two of Italy’s great gifts to the world. Getting them right together transforms a midweek dinner into something memorable. The good news is that pairing wine with pasta is far more logical than it might seem. Once you understand a few basic principles, the right bottle becomes obvious.

The Golden Rule: Match the Sauce, Not the Pasta

The pasta shape itself rarely drives the pairing. It is the sauce that matters. A rich, meaty ragu calls for a very different wine from a light, herb-based pesto. Focus on the dominant flavour of the sauce, and the wine will follow.

Nebbiolo: The Grape Behind Barolo, Barbaresco & Italy's Most Demanding Reds

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Some grapes reward immediacy. Nebbiolo rewards patience.

It is not the grape you drink on a Tuesday with takeaway pasta. It is the grape you decant for two hours on a cold evening, pair with braised beef, and then spend the rest of the night thinking about. Nebbiolo produces Italy’s most age-worthy, structurally complex, and emotionally rewarding red wines, but it asks something of you first. You have to meet it halfway.

Sangiovese: The Grape Behind Chianti, Brunello, and Italy's Greatest Reds

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Sangiovese is Italy’s most planted red grape, and that single fact undersells it. This is the grape behind Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and a dozen other wines you’ve probably encountered without realising they all come from the same variety. The name translates as “blood of Jove” – Jupiter’s grape – and it has been central to Tuscan winemaking for centuries.

What makes Sangiovese remarkable is its range. A $10 Chianti and a $200 Brunello Riserva are both Sangiovese, yet they barely resemble each other. Understanding the grape means understanding why those differences exist – and how to navigate them without wasting money.

Prosecco Guide: Everything You Need to Know

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Prosecco is the most popular sparkling wine on the planet by volume, outselling Champagne by a factor of three. And yet most people couldn’t tell you what grape it’s made from, where it comes from, or why there’s a massive quality difference between one bottle and the next.

Let’s fix that.

What Exactly Is Prosecco?

Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine made primarily from the Glera grape (which, until 2009, was itself called “Prosecco”). It comes from the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions in northeastern Italy, with the best examples originating from the steep hills between the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene.

Italian Wine Beyond Tuscany: A Guide

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Italy is ridiculous. There is no other word for it. The country has over 500 native grape varieties in active production, wine regions from the snow-capped Alps to the sun-blasted islands of the Mediterranean, and a classification system that somehow makes French wine law look simple. Every single one of Italy’s 20 regions produces wine. Every. Single. One.

Most people’s Italian wine knowledge starts and ends with Tuscany – Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Super Tuscans. All fantastic. But if that’s where your exploration stops, you’re missing the majority of what makes Italian wine the most diverse and exciting on Earth.

Wine and Pizza Pairing: The Ultimate Guide

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Because life’s too short to drink the wrong wine with your pizza.

Pizza and wine is one of humanity’s greatest combinations. Both originated in Italy. Both are infinitely customizable. Both make everything better.

But here’s where it gets interesting: not all wines work with all pizzas. A delicate Pinot Grigio with a meat lover’s supreme? Disaster. A massive Cabernet with a simple Margherita? Overkill.

Get the pairing right, though, and both the wine and the pizza become something greater.