Chianti: Three centuries of Italian classic. 
Chianti is one of the most famous and oldest Italian wines, produced in the Chianti region of central Tuscany. In 2016, Italy celebrated the 300th anniversary of Chianti. It was the first wine in the world whose production area was defined by law. In the 19th century, Chianti gained worldwide fame, but in the 20th century it seriously damaged its reputation—an upheaval that ultimately led to the emergence of Super Tuscan wines. In recent decades, however, thanks to the efforts of Tuscan winemakers, Chianti has been rehabilitated and is once again returning to the glasses of wine lovers. That said, the turmoil of the 20th century greatly expanded both the range and the quality of wines grouped under the general name “Chianti.” Today, it is important to understand the difference between, say, Chianti Classico, Chianti Riserva, and Chianti Gran Selezione. Even the squat, straw-wrapped bottle known as the fiasco, so strongly associated with Chianti, is no longer an essential attribute of the wine. More and more producers are choosing standard bottles instead. The main grape variety used in Chianti is Sangiovese, the principal native grape of central Italy, especially Tuscany. It is also used to produce such famous wines as Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano—and, of course, Chianti itself.
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The Rising Star of Petit Verdot 
Petit Verdot, an ancient French grape variety that has spent centuries as a supporting player, is slowly stepping into the spotlight. More and more wine lovers are discovering a truly unusual wine that combines full body and high tannins with a vivid floral-fruity aroma. A well-made varietal Petit Verdot is a deeply colored, almost inky wine with powerful yet silky tannins, aromas of violet and lilac, flavors of black cherry and plum, and notes of pepper and spice, sometimes with touches of tobacco and leather.
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Prosecco. The world’s best-selling sparkling wine. 
Prosecco is an Italian white wine produced in nine provinces across the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions. It’s made primarily from the Glera grape, although up to 15% of other permitted grape varieties can be blended in. Prosecco comes in three styles: sparkling (spumante), semi-sparkling (frizzante), and still (tranquillo). Both spumante and frizzante Prosecco are typically made using the Charmat method. That’s the formal definition of Prosecco.
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Valpolicella – Recioto, Amarone, Ripasso. Everything but the squeals… 
In the northeast of Italy, in the vinicultural zone Veneto, the wine region Valpolicella locates that produces wine under the same name. This is one of the well-known Italian red wines, alongside Chianti, Barolo, and Brunello, if not in terms of quality, then at least in terms of quantity.
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