Wine has been produced and enjoyed by people for thousands of years. The earliest evidence of wine documented is that of wine jars found in Georgia (the country, not the state), more than 8,000 years ago. Wine is produced in countries around the globe and one of the oldest and best-known wine-producing countries is Italy. Italy is ranked fifth in the world by consumption with a volume of 42 liters per capita.
Fortunately, one does not have to visit Italy, let alone leave the United States, in order to enjoy one of the many fine Italian Wines. Thousands of wine shops, retailers, and restaurants sell and serve imported wines from Italy as well as other wine-producing countries. One can find rare wine varieties, seasonal, and all-occasion wines. Many offer deep discounts if bought in volume.
Italian wines are the most consumed and sold wines in the world followed by French wines. In addition, Italy is the world’s largest producer of wine, producing an average of 450,000,000 liters annually. Due to its unique geographic nature, grapes are grown in nearly every region of Italy, contributing to their broad variety of offerings. Italy currently has more than one million vineyards cultivating grapes for their fine wines.
As of 2010, Italy’s appellation system has four main categories of wine consistent with the European Union’s (EU) regulations in the matter of wine. The categories, from the lower level to the top level are Vini, Vini Varietali, Vini IGP and Vini DOP. Of these appellations, the most sought after by wine lovers the world over are those known as the “Killer B’s”, or Barbaraesco, Barolo, and Brunello di Montalcino. Other wines garnering attention on the international market are Amarone della Valpolicella from Campania and wines originating from the South and Centre of Italy such as Sagrantino, Nero D’Avola and Primitivo. Specialty sweet wines like Passitos or Moscatos originating from different regions are time-tested favorites.
These varieties and more are available through Townecellarswines.com, one of the largest distributors of fine wines anywhere. A reputable wine dealer understands each bottle of wine they sell and are constantly educating themselves and building their wine selection inventory. Whether you are looking for wines from the Aosta Valley, Lombardia, Toscana, Lazio, or any of the other 20+ regions of Italy, you will not be disappointed with the selections available for asking. You can also watch video on their YouTube channel.
