Vernaccia di San Gimignano, to drink & to keep
Lying in the west of one of the world’s prime red wine areas, this Tuscan DOCG produces only whites. Some styles are delicious in their first flush of youth, while other bottlings can be a great offbeat choice for cellaring

Abruzzo
Nestled between the azure Adriatic sea and snow-topped Apennine mountains, this verdant eastern-central region is an area of climatic opposites, and a varied treasure trove of indigenous vines. It deserves to be better known, says our expert

Get into Gavi
Location and geography make this high Piedmont region a haven for characteristically crisp, dry and minerally whites, perfect for summer drinking, be they young or bottle-aged Riservas

Lake Garda and Garda Doc
Italy’s largest lake, Garda, enjoys a Mediterranean climate and is caressed by myriad winds. Its vineyards are bathed in light bouncing off the water’s surface. Gently sunkissed bunches of grapes ripen in favourable conditions where balmy temperatures allow olive trees, lemons, and capers to thrive.

Garda Doc Chardonnay
A popular grape finds a natural home around Lake Garda

The reds of Garda Doc
Merlots and Cabernet Sauvignons for lakeside winter days

Asti DOCG and its terroir
Italy’s premier sparkling wine produced in a range of styles from pas dosé to sweet

Moscato d’Asti DOCG
Asti’s glamorous, foodie sister

Street food in Italy: What to eat & local wine pairings
Fill up on authentic street food when you next visit Italy – Alessandra Piubello highlights some of Italy's greatest regional culinary traditions, and selects one delicious wine to track down in each region.

Wines of Abruzzo
Pecorino, the increasingly popular white wine from Italy’s eastern coast

Top 20 Puglian Primitivo
As hearty-red season approaches, it’s the perfect time to start exploring the untamed side of Italy’s hot south – and the peppery appeal of its firm-favourite Primitivo variety

In (& around) fair Verona
Many of northern Italy’s key wine-growing regions are to be found between the city of Verona and stunning Lake Garda. Our guide to the area takes in wineries, ancient monuments, top restaurants and more, as we pass through illustrious wine zones and historic villages and towns

What's new in Prosecco?
Changes are afoot across the whole of the Prosecco region in the north. Alessandra Piubello summarises shifts in styles and standards

Top 40 Barbera d’Asti
Barbera d’Asti originates from Monferrato or “Munfrà”, as it is called in local dialect, a region that spans the hills of Asti and Alessandria and is the prime production area for this Piedmontese wine. Swathes of vineyards as far as the eye can see, given their shape over the centuries by vine-dressers, offer a unique spectacle of light and colour. Farmhouses, ancient hamlets and medieval castles sprout up here and there. Woods and hazel groves make up the background. This is a wine-producing area to visit and discover, so full of traditions, history and foodie wonders, that it was given its own UNESCO World Heritage Site recognition in 2014, together with the nearby Langhe and Roero zones.

My Como
Long an exclusive destination, this delightful waterside city offers the best of Italian style, accommodation and indulgent days on the water, all surrounded by stunning mountain scenery. Alessandra Piubello reports

Piedmont
You could easily devote an entire trip to the Langhe area alone, with its endless rolling hills covered in vines, fabulous range of places to stay and world-class gastronomy seemingly at every turn. But, says Alessandra Piubello, you can roam further afield in Piedmont to find a wealth of other great travel experiences too

The verdict
Producers were keen to showcase their bruts, as well as the traditional ‘extra dry’ sweeter styles, and the quality came through in the consistent scores, reports Andy Howard MW

Ruchè: a Piedmontese secret
If someone in Castagnole Monferrato offers you Ruché, it’s because he wants to spend time with you”: the sign at the town’s entrance is an invitation for wine lovers to visit the places in the area in search of this rare grape

Lugana
A success story from Italy’s Lake Garda region

Gavi
Profile of Piedmont's premium white on the export market

The wines of Lake Garda
This beautiful north-Italian tourist destination is bordered by three classic wine regions offering a full range of styles, writes Alessandra Piubello: the fruity reds and delicate rosés of Bardolino, and the contrasting white styles of Custoza and Lugana.

The Decanter travel guide to Franciacorta
This is prime Lombardy sparkling wine territory that blends rural charm and tradition with Italian sophistication, says Alessandra Piubello

The Decanter travel guide to Valpolicella, Verona, Italy
With its gracious villas and ancient churches, the valleys of Valpolicella harbour as much heritage as much heritage as they do winemaking dynasties. Local Alessandra Piubello shows how to make the most of this inviting region.