INTRODUCTION
Italy and red wine have always gone hand in hand. For generations, vineyards have been woven through hillsides, volcanic slopes, coastal sites and mountain villages, each region shaping its own identity through the wines it produces.
For a long time, Italian reds were known more for structure and age-worthiness, but a new wave of producers is shifting that conversation. Across the country, winemakers are leaning towards freshness, energy and drinkability, creating wines that feel brighter, more expressive, and far more immediate in the glass.
From the lifted charm of Bardolino and Dolcetto to the savoury depth of Sangiovese, the elegance of modern Valpolicella and the vibrant energy coming from Sicily, these are reds that speak more through texture, tension and place than sheer weight or power.
These are wines full of character and energy. Fresh enough for warmer days, structured enough for the table, and endlessly rewarding with food.
This new era of Italian reds feels honest, vibrant, and very easy to enjoy.
ITALIAN REDS MASTERCLASS
The New Wave of Italian RED Wine!
THE WINES
2024 BEL COLLE LANGHE NEBBIOLO
PIEDMONT, ITALY
Tucked into the northern reaches of Verduno, Bel Colle is a family-run estate quietly doing some very thoughtful work. With a focus on sustainable farming and a gentle, considered approach in the cellar, the aim here is simple, let the fruit do its thing. And that really comes through in the glass.
This is a lighter, more lifted expression, leaning into freshness and purity rather than weight. Bright red fruits lead the way with cherry, raspberry a touch of wild strawberry and a soft floral edge that keeps everything feeling open and inviting. There’s a lovely sense of energy here, the kind that makes you want to go back for another sip before you’ve even finished the first.
A short maturation, mostly in stainless steel with a touch of older oak, keeps everything focused and vibrant, nothing heavy, nothing pushed too far, nothing overworked. It’s all about clarity and balance, letting the wine carry itself with ease.
It is a really enjoyable wine to drink. Fresh, expressive, and full of life, the kind of red that quietly sets the tone for what’s to come, and does it very well!
FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:
~ Prosciutto and fresh focaccia
~ Mushroom risotto
~ Margherita pizza
~ Grilled quail or spatchcock with rosemary
~ Cured Meats and Soft Cheeses
2021 Chionetti Dogliani Briccolero
Piedmont, Italy
From the hills of Dogliani, Chionetti is a family-run estate with a long-standing focus on native varieties and a deep connection to site. The Briccolero comes from the San Luigi vineyard, both steep and windswept with a south-east exposure, allowing for steady ripening and natural build of freshness and balance.
Working with older vines (around 55 years), and a mix of calcareous soils rich in sand, silt and clay, the fruit here carries both concentration and lift. In the cellar, the approach is thoughtful and restrained, fermentation in cement, a small portion in large oak, and bottled unfiltered to preserve texture and aromatic detail.
In the glass, it leans darker and more layered. Candied cherry and blackberry arrive first, followed by a gentle floral note, a touch of sweet spice, and a subtle balsamic edge that adds intrigue. On the palate, it sits comfortably in the mid-weight to fuller space with ripe fruit, a hint of dried herb, and earthy finish, all supported by firm, fine tannins.
With both presence, structure and a lovely sense of balance. It holds shape, opens up with a little time, and invites another glass.
FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:
~ Slow-cooked ragù with pappardelle
~ Roast lamb with rosemary & garlic
~ Herb-roasted chicken with crispy potatoes
~ Charred eggplant with tomato & herbs
~ A good steak, rested and sliced
2023 Azienda Agricola Ottomani Sangiovese
Tuscany, Italy
Ottomani is a project that started simply with four friends, a small vineyard, and a shared idea of doing things a little more thoughtfully. The name itself, “otto mani” meaning eight hands, still feels very much at the heart of what they do today.
Working across a handful of sites in and around Greve, the focus remains on old vines, low yields, and a more considered way of farming. Organic and biodynamic practices guide everything, with the aim of keeping the wines as honest and expressive as possible.
In the cellar, things stay just as gentle. This Sangiovese sees time in terracotta amphora, an older technique that brings out texture and freshness, without adding anything that might get in the way.
And you really feel that in the glass.
Bright cherry and wild strawberry lead, with a soft violet lift and a subtle earthy edge that gives it a bit of grounding. There’s a lovely sense of energy here — light on its feet, mineral, and quietly structured, with fine tannins and a savoury, slightly chalky finish that lingers just enough.
It’s one of those wines that feels alive — expressive, a little different, and very easy to sit with for a while.
FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:
~ Tomato and anchovy pasta with chilli and breadcrumbs
~ Charred radicchio with balsamic and olive oil
~ Grilled lamb skewers with yoghurt and herbs
~ Wood-fired pizza with mushrooms and fior di latte
~ Crispy chicken with lemon and rosemary
2023 Occhipinti SP68 Rosso
Sicily, Italy
Winemaker and founder of Occhipinti, Arianna Occhipinti has built a reputation for wines that feel honest and alive, working with native Sicilian varieties and a very gentle hand throughout.
The SP68 is a great introduction to her world. Named after the road that runs past the vineyards near Vittoria, it’s a wine that feels a little less serious on paper, but no less thoughtful in the glass.
A blend of Frappato and Nero d’Avola, it’s all about brightness and energy first. Red cherry, wild strawberry, and soft florals lead the way, with a subtle darker edge underneath adding just enough depth. There’s a light mineral lift through it all, and a fine, dusty tannin that gives the wine shape without weighing it down.
It’s one of those reds that feels vibrant and easy, but still quietly complex. If you needed a reference point, you could loosely think of Beaujolais just with a bit more sun and a Sicilian accent.
And honestly, it’s just a really fun wine to drink. Lively, expressive, and the kind that tends to disappear a little quicker than expected.
FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:
~ Seared tuna with sesame & citrus
~ Lamb kofta with yoghurt & herbs
~ Spaghetti vongole with garlic, chilli and white wine)
~ Fried calamari with lemon & aioli
~ Anchovies, olives and bread
Occhipinti SP68 Rosso 2023
$54.99
2023 Guerrieri Rizzardi XV Bardolino
Veneto, Italy
From the eastern shores of Lake Garda, Guerrieri Rizzardi is a long-standing family estate with a very clear focus... keeping things fresh and easy to enjoy. With vineyards centred around Bardolino Classico, and a gentle, thoughtful approach in the cellar, the aim here is all about letting the fruit come through clean and bright.
And that’s exactly what you get.
This is a lighter, more vibrant style of red, bright, lifted and very easy to like. Red cherry, raspberry and a touch of soft spice lead the way, with a freshness that keeps everything feeling clean and effortless. There’s a softness to the palate too, thanks to a small portion of Merlot in the blend, just rounding out the edges without taking away from that core brightness.
It’s not a wine that asks too much of you — and that’s exactly the point. Easy, energetic, and made for drinking now, it’s one of those bottles that feels right from the first sip.
FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:
~ Prosciutto, melon and a squeeze of lemon
~ Margherita pizza
~ Grilled chicken with herbs and olive oil
~ Pasta with fresh tomato, basil and parmesan
~ Roasted vegetables, slightly charred
2019 Allegrini La Grola
Valpolicella, Italy
Allegrini is one of those names that sits firmly at the heart of Valpolicella, a multi-generational family estate that has helped shape the region into what it is today. La Grola, in particular, comes from a single hillside site in Sant’Ambrogio, carefully replanted and nurtured over time to express something a little more focused and considered.
Set on clay-limestone soils with a warm south-east exposure, this is a site that naturally builds both ripeness and structure, while still holding onto freshness. In the cellar, the approach is measured, gentle extraction, time in both large cask and barrique, allowing the wine to develop depth without losing its sense of balance.
In the glass, it moves a little deeper and more layered again. Dark cherry and blackberry come through first, followed by subtle notes of spice, tobacco, and a soft cocoa edge. There’s a richness here, but it’s held nicely in check by a fine line of acidity and those long, persistent tannins that give the wine shape and length.
It’s a wine with a bit more presence, a bit more quiet confidence… but still very much in that space of being enjoyable now, especially with just a little time in the glass.
FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:
~ Slow-roasted lamb with garlic and herbs
~ Beef lasagne
~ Grilled steak with rosemary and olive oil
~ Roasted eggplant with tomato & parmesan
~ Porchetta with crispy skin & soft herbs
Allegrini la Grola 2019
$86.99
CONCLUSION
These six wines show just how exciting Italian red wine has become. Bright, textural, savoury and full of energy, they offer a very different perspective to the heavier styles many people still expect from Italy.
From the freshness of Bardolino and Dolcetto to the earthy depth of Sangiovese and the vibrant lift of Sicily, each wine brings its own sense of place and personality to the table. Some are lighter and more delicate, others a little more structured, but all of them share that same feeling of balance, drinkability and ease.
More than anything, these are wines that feel good to drink. Wines made for food, conversation and long afternoons that slowly turn into evening.
And perhaps that’s what makes this new era of Italian reds so compelling — they manage to feel thoughtful and serious, while still remaining relaxed, expressive, and incredibly enjoyable in the glass.
ITALIAN RED WINES AT MARKET WINE STORE
