In this wine shop you will be able to discover some of the best Italian and foreign red wines from a selection of over 1500 wines, from the most famous appellations (“Amarone della Valpolicella”, “Barolo”, “Brunello di Montalcino”, “Primitivo di Manduria”, “Vino Nobile di Montepulciano”, “Valpolicella Ripasso” etc.) to the smaller and more unusual ones, from good full-bodied and structured red wines to fresher and more drinkable ones, as well as sparkling red wines (such as “Lambrusco di Sorbara”) or sweet ones (such as “Recioto della Valpolicella” or “Aleatico dell'Elba”). Here at Wine Online we have selected for you some of the best red wine expressions from all corners of the boot, from red wines from Piedmont, Tuscany, Veneto and Alto Adige (such as “Lagrein” and “Pinot Noir”), to cross the whole country and bring you also red wines from Campania (such as “Taurasi” but not only), red wines from Sicily and Apulia or “Cannonau” from Sardinia.

Red wine is the symbol of cultures and of all man's oenological knowledge; its origins are traced back to Mesopotamia, and were later imported to Europe by the ancient Greeks, linking its history to the culture of European countries, Italy and France first of all, but also the rest of the so-called "Old Continent".

Red wines are made from red grapes through a vinification process in which the must ferments in contact with the skins; this maceration causes the extraction from the skins of anthocyanins, which are basically responsible for the wine's colouring, and of other polyphenolic substances, which enrich and distinguish the red wine in terms of its aroma, flavour and structure. The winemaking process ranges in duration (from a minimum of 6-7 days to a month of maceration), during which time winemakers can adopt some of the most various techniques, each contributing to giving the wine a unique style: punching-down, pumping-over, délestage, submerged cap or malolactic fermentation.

At the end of the vinification process, the red wine is subjected to an ageing phase; this is regulated by the rules of the respective production regulations and can take place in barrels of different types, of different sizes and for different periods, depending also on the properties that you want to give the wine. The most common barrels for ageing are made of steel, wood, cement, amphora and glass. Generally speaking, ageing in steel, glass or cement (as well as amphora) preserves the primary features of the grape variety, while extended ageing in wooden barrels enriches the wine's aromas and flavours and makes it softer and more elegant.

Some of Italy's finest red wines are made from Nebbiolo or Sangiovese grapes. Nebbiolo is the basic variety for “Barolo”, “Barbaresco”, “Gattinara” and “Sforzato di Valtellina”, while Sangiovese is the most commonly cultivated red grape variety in Italy, and is used to make “Chianti Classico”, “Brunello di Montalcino”, “Vino Nobile di Montepulciano” and the “Supertuscan of Bolgheri”, blended with other international varieties.

Italy, however, has a very rich heritage of indigenous grapes, so it would be somewhat reductive to focus only on these two. If you are looking for structured red wines, you might also consider a “Teroldego Rotaliano” from Trentino or an “Amarone della Valpolicella”, made from Corvina grapes, or “Aglianico” expressions such as “Taurasi” and “Aglianico del Vulture” wines, or even “Primitivo di Manduria”, “Nero d'Avola” and “Syrah” from Sicily, or “Cannonau” from Sardinia.

On the other hand, if you are looking for elegant red wines, we can certainly recommend a “Lagrein” or “Pinot Noir” from Alto Adige. But if you prefer wines that are easy to drink and fresh, you can also try a “Ligurian Rossese”, a “Refosco” from Friuli, a “Piedirosso” from Campania or even a Sicilian “Frappato di Vittoria”. Scroll down and find your favourite among the best Italian red wines at affordable prices.