The Best Wineries to Visit in Italy

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Barolo is possibly one of the most renowned and best-quality wines in Italy. A hearty red, Barolo draws its name from the town in which it is produced, situated in the Langhe area and protected by gentle hills. Established in the early 19th century, the winery Marchesi di Barolo is still a family business, handed down for five generations and enjoying the protection of the Alps in the north and the Apennines in the south. This makes the climate particularly temperate and mild and allows the grapes to prosper.

Vezza d’Alba, where this winery is located, is a truly historic area for wine-making in Italy. The aristocratic family of Roero used to cultivate this land even in the 18th century, before the business was taken over by the current managers, the Olivero family, in the 1950s. With 15ha (37 acres) of vineyards to count on, this ancient farmstead will show any tourist that the province of Cuneo and the region of Piedmont have much more to offer than just mountains and the Shroud of Turin.

Located on Lake Garda, Redaelli de Zinis is a winery that is committed to avoiding machinery in the production of its wines and to employing environmentally friendly techniques so as not to affect the natural scenery surrounding Desenzano del Garda. It possesses about 1,200sqm (13,000sqft) of vineyards, and its history goes as far back as the 18th century, with a tradition covering five generations of the de Zinis family. All the produce is DOC – of controlled origin – which guarantees great quality and an unmistakable flavour.

Frescobaldi is a family that has been devoted to wine production for 30 generations and 700 years. Consequently, this is the historic winery of Tuscany par excellence. Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi possesses five discrete units where wine is produced, scattered from north to south Tuscany, in Pomino, Nipozzano, Castiglioni, Castelgiocondo and Ammiraglia. Any tourist who happens to be in this wonderful Italian region should take some time out of their busy schedule in order to enjoy a visit to this spot.

Tenuta di Castelbuono was awarded the Wonderful Winery prize because of its peculiar architecture. Part of Tenute Lutelli in Bevagna, in the province of Perugia in Umbria, this winery was designed by Arnaldo Pomodoro, one of the most renowned Italian sculptors of the 20th century. It was completed with the participation of a Renaissance atelier as well as with that of an architect who took care of the functional and health and safety side of the construction. The building is inspired by the hilly landscape that surrounds it. As Pomodoro said, he didn’t want to create a disruption in nature, so he tried to adapt the building to the environment itself.

A family business, Azienda Agricola Valentini is located in Loreto Aprutino, in the province of Pescara in the Abruzzo region. This winery and farm have been here for centuries, with activity dating back to the first half of the 16th century. It has received a number of awards throughout the ages thanks to the quality of its produce, be it wine, olive oil or vinegar. Most of its wine production is centred upon Trebbiano and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, but it covers other sorts of labels too.

Located on one of the two major Italian islands, Sardinia, Azienda Vinicola Contini was founded by Salvatore Contini in 1898 and maintains a position of paramount importance on the western Italian island. With a company located in Cabras, on the Sinis peninsula, and estates covering land extending along the peninsula, across the Tirso Valley, and up the slopes of Mount Arci, this winery possesses 80ha (200 acres) of vineyards that all come together in the production of top-notch Sardinian wine. With a perfect mix of local flavours and national quality, Azienda Vinicola Contini shows that Sardinia has plenty more to offer than just rugged beaches and untouched lands.

Established in 1878, Mastroberardino is led by an historic family that still maintains a passion for wine and the local territory. Situated in Campania and Irpinia, this winery has seen 10 generations succeed each other with great results and significant technological innovations along the way. Its grapes include, for instance, Aglianico, Fiano, Greco, Fanghina and Piedirosso, all dating back to ancient Greek and Roman times.

The Greeks founded a series of colonies in southern Italy, the so-called Magna Graecia, which encompassed what we today call Sicily, Campania, Puglia and Calabria. The latter was named Enotria: the land where grapes prosper. Librandi is aware of this rich history and attempts to make the best of it by observing traditional techniques that do not affect the environment in a negative way. Conveniently located between the seaside and the mountains, Librandi is a great spot for some wine tasting in this southern region.

Passed on for 17 generations and finally established in this form in 1995, Planeta is one of the household names of Sicily. With six different estates between Sambuca di Sicilia and Menfi, this winery will convince any tourist that enotourism is something to keep an eye out for on this southern isle. The vineyards make up a total area of 363ha (900 acres) and yield different kinds of grapes, from the little-known Grecanico, Carricante, Frappato and Nerello Mascalese to the internationally acclaimed Nero d’Avola, Chardonnay, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet.