AMARONE, BAROLO AND BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO REDS; GEWÜRTZTRAMINER FRANCIACORTA WHITES: "CIVILTA DEL BERE" SURVEY OF 103 WINERIES REVEALS ITALIANS FAVORITE WINES

Italian wine is raking in one success after another on foreign markets, but what are Italian wine-lovers drinking, in light of a seemingly unstoppable fall in consumption? To answer this question the magazine "Civilization of drinking", conducted a survey about the health of Italian wine on a sample of 103 wineries, located in the North (60%), the Center (22%) and the South (18%). Italians still prefer red wines but lovers of sparkling wines are growing, while the rose’ wines are still struggling, a sign that this market is still young, despite recent interest.

The most popular red wines are the Classic triptych, Amarone, Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino, where the timeless number ones are Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Greppo of Biondi Santi, Giacomo Conterno’s Barolo Riserva Monfortino and Amarone of Valpolicella Quintarelli.
Italian wine lovers’ top white wine picks are Gewurztraminer and Franciacorta; second place Friulano and Vermentino and Verdicchio and Soave in third place. The “timeless” labels are Cervaro della Sala (Umbria), Jermann - Vintage Tunina (Venezia Giulia) and Pieropan (Soave).

Besides the classics, there are also lesser-known wines that are just as popular and are candidates to become tomorrow’s "champions": Ciro Picariello Fiano di Avellino, Cusumano Angimbè TGI Sicily, Droppello Fertuna TGI Toscana, Pasetti Pecorino Abruzzo, Quintodecimo Fiano di Avellino Exultet, and Passerina di Velenosi stand out among the whites and Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna, Raboso Classico Piave Cecchetto and Saustò Valpolicella Ripasso Monte dell’Ora, among the reds.

Beer deserves a special mention since it continues to occupy more and more space in Italian cellars: 80% said they keep beer on their shelves, especially artisan, and on average about 24 different types. Baladin, the famous brewery in Farigliano (Cuneo) is the most popular, followed at a considerable distance by 32 Via dei Birrai in Pederobba (Treviso) and then Birra del Borgo di Borgorose (Rimini) that tied with Bruton of Lucca.