41 Newly Released Vini From Italy

Wine is made in almost every part of Italy, in a wide variety of climates and soil types. The introduction of modern winemaking techniques over the last 20 years has raised the standard of Italian wines around the country. The majority of the wines listed below are from the Northeast region of Italy. This area has recently emerged as a source of quality wines, frequently at value prices.
The Northeast encompasses the districts of Trentino-Alto Adige, Fruili-Venezia Giulia and Veneto, where the focus is on white wines but a number of red wines are also made. As in the rest of Italy, indigenous grape varieties are prevalent in this area. They are used in blends as well as in single-varietal wines, such as Teroldego and Tocai Friulano. Along with these Italian natives, better-known grapes such as Merlot, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Grigio are widely planted. These grapes may be of French origin, but the Italians have worked with them for many years and have made them their own, marked by distinctively Italian character and style.

The list below highlights 41 newly released vini from Italy.

Merlot

Livio Felluga Merlot Delle Venezie
   1999 • $27 

Torre Rosazza Merlot Colli Orientali del Friuli L'Altromerlot
   1998 • $28

Tenuta San Leonardo Merlot Trentino
   1999 • $19

Fantinel Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon-Refosco Delle Venezie Barone Rosso Platinum
   1999 • $40

Fantinel Merlot Grave del Friuli Barone Rosso
   2000 • $10


Pinot Bianco

Jermann Pinot Bianco Venezia-Giulia
   2000 • $24

Castello di Spessa Pinot Bianco Collio Di Santa Rosa
   1999 • $25

Colterenzio Pinot Bianco Alto Adige Praedium Weisshaus
   2000 • $22

Castello di Spessa Pinot Bianco Collio
   2000 • $18

Colterenzio Pinot Bianco Alto Adige
   2000 • $12

Tiefenbrunner Pinot Bianco Alto Adige
   2000 • $10

Villa Russiz Pinot Bianco Collio
   2000 • $21


Pinot Grigio

Fantinel Pinot Grigio Collio Vigneti Sant'Helena
   2000 • $20

Schiopetto Pinot Grigio Colli Orientali del Friuli Podere dei Blumeri
   2000 • $29

Fratelli Pighin Pinot Grigio Collio
   2000 • $20

Castello di Spessa Pinot Grigio Collio
   2000 • $18

Campanile Pinot Grigio Friuli
   2000 • $10

Jermann Pinot Grigio Venezia-Giulia
   2000 • $26

Colterenzio Pinot Grigio Alto Adige Cornell
   2000 • $29

Colterenzio Pinot Grigio Alto Adige Praedium Puiten
   2000 • $22

Fantinel Pinot Grigio Grave del Friuli Montecristo 2
   000 • $10

Villa Russiz Pinot Grigio Collio
   2000 • $21

Franz Haas Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie Kris
   2000 • $10

Fratelli Pighin Pinot Grigio Grave del Friuli
   2000 • $13

Zenato Pinot Grigio Venezie
   2000 • $10

Other Red

Colterenzio Pinot Nero Alto Adige Cornell Schwarzhaus Riserva
   1999 • $45

Tommaso Bussola Amarone della Valpolicella Classico BG
   1998 • $45

Tommaso Bussola Valpolicella Classico Superiore TB
   1998 • $27

Foradori Teroldego Rotaliano 2000 • $20

Tommaso Bussola Amarone della Valpolicella Classico TB
   1997 • $75


Other White

Jermann Traminer Aromatico Delle Venezie
   2000 • $28

Castello di Spessa Tocai Friulano Collio
   2000 • $18

Benanti Etna Superiore Pietramarina
   1997 • $21

Foradori Vigneti delle Dolomiti Myrto
   2000 • $27

Franz Haas Mitterberg Manna
   2000 • $24

Ronco dei Tassi Collio Fosarin
   2000 • $15

Benanti Etna di Caselle
   2000 • $13

Ronco del Gnemiz Tocai Friulano Colli Orientali del Friuli
   2000 • $16

Fantinel Tocai-Sauvignon-Pinot Bianco Collio Trilogy
   2000 • $34

Jermann Venezia-Giulia Vinnae
   2000 • $24

Ronco dei Tassi Tocai Friulano Collio
   2000 • $15 •