What do Italian cars have to do with Italian wine? Everything, apparently. Turns out, Italian cars are as fundamental to the DNA of Italian culture and way of life as Italian wine! The brand Fiat, for example, is as synonymous with Italy as is say, Barolo, Brunello, or Chianti. Now, you may be wondering why I am talking about Italian cars in an article that should clearly be talking about wine? The answer is quite simple: in order to understand Italy, one needs to understand that there is an inextricable connection between the land (i.e., terroir), the people, the diverse array of food and cuisine, culture, music, art, cars and of course, wine. One cannot exist without the other. All of this, and more, make up the fabric of what it means to be Italian!
This connection was made quite apparent to me at a gathering hosted by Coldiretti and Istituto 100% Italiano on a fine, summer’s day at the Columbus Citizens Foundation in New York City, which brought together sommeliers, wine critics, journalists and wine writers like me, to explore a most fascination question: “What makes Italy the most diverse wine-producing country on earth?” During a masterclass led by Audrey Frick, Senior Editor and Wine Critic for JebDunnuck.com, we explored a selection of wines produced by some of the most prolific and well-known wine regions in Italy, and also, a few lesser-known areas that produce some of the best wines in the world!
At first, it seemed a bit strange to attend a masterclass that introduced wines from Tuscany, Sardegna, Sicily, Abruzzo and Friuli Venezia Giulia, all at once. How could one focus on a specific area, terroir, climate, people, winemaking techniques and practices, if so many different regions were covered in a span of an hour?
What I quickly realized, as Audrey began her presentation, was that this masterclass wasn’t just about the wine itself, but also about the history, culture, traditions, food, industry and the people that belong to those areas, and how they have shaped wine making through the years. As the tasting progressed, Audrey shared her experiences of traveling through these different regions in, you guessed it, her small Fiat: very economical, effective and sensible for navigating the narrow roads of Sicily or the beautiful, undulating hills of Tuscany. Italians are a complex people, and each region is like its own little country, with its unique culture, history, food and of course, wine. This was quite evident in the wines that had been chosen to represent the diversity of this magical country.
Our journey began in the islands, off the coast of Italy, with two wines. The first was the Etna Rosso Sul Volcano 2022 from Donnafugata, a 100% Nerello Mascalese, from the northern side of Etna. Pale garnet in color, the wine was bursting with bright red fruit and floral aromas, notes of white pepper, thyme, and hints of smoke and ash, as is expected from a wine of this region. Aged partly in steel tanks and partly in second and third-passage barriques for around 18 months, the wine spent at least another 18 months in the bottle prior to release. Smooth velvety tannins, sparkling acidity and a refreshing, stony minerality made this Nerello Mascalese truly pleasurable and I was left wanting for more!
The second was the Vermentino di Gallura Cucaione 2025 from Piero Mancini in Sardegna. The name “Cucaione” comes from the local Gallura dialect and translates to cuckoo bird. The vineyards where the vermentino grape grows, once had many cuckoo’s nests and the birds would fly over the vineyards every day, thus giving the wine its name. It was quite a complex vermentino, very fragrant on the nose with notes of citrus and stone fruits, white blossoms, and a touch of salinity. On the palate, the wine had a bold mouthfeel, indicating some time spent on the lees, a refreshing minerality, well balanced with a complex depth and structure, leading to a pleasantly long finish. I could just picture myself sitting on a beach somewhere in Sardegna, enjoying this lovely wine with some freshly caught shellfish!
From the islands, it was time to move on to the mainland where we were introduced to wines from Tuscany, Abruzzo and Friuli Venezia Giulia. Of the ones we tasted, there were two that really stood out to me, both from Tuscany (clearly the king of all wine regions in Italy, mi dispiace Piedmont!). I’ll start with the obvious winner, a Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova 2019 from Casanova di Neri. This wine does not need much of an introduction, as the name truly speaks for itself. A 100% Sangiovese from this storied estate, it was absolutely exquisite. Deep ruby trending to garnet, dark red fruits, lots of tertiary aromas, balsamic notes, dried herbs, oak; in short, a complex, yet very well balanced and finely ageing Sangiovese that could be consumed now or stored for years to come.
The real surprise for me, however, was the Vernaccia di San Gimignano Riserva 2023 “Sanice” from Cesani. I have tried my fair share of whites from Italy, but this one really took my breath away! Vernaccia comes from the Latin word “vernaculus”, meaning local or indigenous. While it is a white wine grape found in many Italian whites, it is most commonly grown in San Gimignano and was Italy’s first designated DOCG white wine. The riserva from Cesani was an absolute treat. Light gold in color, this was a dry white with pronounced notes of fig, honey, almond, white flowers, honeysuckle, ripe nectarine, a powerful stony minerality and richly phenolic. The riserva was aged for 2.5 years while undergoing batonnage in steel tanks and then aged for an extended period in the bottle, prior to release. On the palate, the wine was full bodied with a well-rounded structure and a smooth, creamy mouthfeel. Clearly, one of the most complex white wines I have tasted and one I will certainly keep an eye out for, the next time I am in Tuscany!
Following the tasting, we were treated to a sumptuous lunch, paired with all the wines that we tried during the masterclass, and more.
What made this experience truly fascinating was its intimate setting and the chance to meaningfully interact with the winemakers; after all there were only six participating wineries at the event. We live in a world today where wine sales continue to be impacted due to various reasons (compared to May 2025, sales in May 2026 decreased by ~39%), chief among them, geopolitical and climate related, but it is encouraging to see that organizations such as Coldiretti continue to play a crucial role in supporting and encouraging winemakers by providing them with a platform to share their wines with the world. I look forward to attending many more such events in the future and sharing my wine experiences with all of you!
Cheers! ~ Ipshita
