Italy’s wines reflect its history and culture. Its winemaking traditions are richly nuanced, with thousands of small terroirs and vineyards whose varietals, appellations, and soils appear ever more colorfully varied the better you get to know them. Some of Italy’s wines are legendary, whether it is a twenty-year-old Trebbiano d’Abruzzo and its smoky minerality or a fifty-year-old Barolo or Brunello di Montalcino. Traveling the wine routes of Italy is never monotonous: each winegrowing region has its own flavors, its own light.

Part of Assouline’s latest Wine & Travel series, which explores emblematic destinations through the lens of wine tourism, this edition features an exhaustive list of the best Italian vineyards to discover and a helpful glossary while also providing a deep dive into the country’s best and finest wineries.