If Italian wines are among the best in the world, certainly part of the credit is due to the reputation of our classic great full-bodied, structured and well-aged red wines. Italian viticulture is characterized by the production of superb bottles of wine obtained from exclusive native vines which, in very few cases, manage to grow anywhere else. The climate is a fundamental component, and along with the terroir they constitute an essential starting point for bottles loved all over the world. Add to this the long winemaking tradition and you have the ability of producers to create unique and appreciated wines.
From North to South, a multitude of vines produce splendid wines every year which are exported all over the world: starting from the coldest areas such as Piedmont passing through Veneto and Lombardy, from Tuscany to Abruzzo and then descending towards the South and moving from Salento to Sicily and finally to Sardinia. The ample variety of full-bodied red wines reflects the areas of our territory and pays homage to our centenary tradition.
Red wine, didactically, is a wine characterized by structure and softness. However it is composed of less acidity and sapidity than white grapes. What differentiates and enhances it is the presence of tannin, which is a natural component present in the skins, stalks and grape seeds.
Structured red wines derive from vines whose skins are able to release large quantities of substances in musts, that are rich in sugars with good acidity. In this case, a fundamental role is played by malolactic fermentation, a consistent process in these types of wines as the decrease in acidity helps to round out the overall taste profile of the wine. Refinement in the bottle completes and carries out the aging process.
What are the most famous full-bodied red wines?
So what are the red wines that have made us famous for the extreme complexity they represent, as well as being wines of great class and composition?
Cantine Leonardo da Vinci has collected some of the most important full-bodied red wines and fruity red wines of Italian viticulture in the I Capolavori collection which, as the name implies, celebrates the most loved and established wines by combining them with as many paintings by the Genius of Vinci depicted on the label.
One of the full-bodied red wines among the most cultivated in Italy is Sangiovese, which from Romagna to Campania up to Tuscany, holds a substantial part of cultivated land. Many know the vine for its use in production of Chianti, one of the wines that most represents Italy globally. With a historical tradition that dates back to 1500, the Sangiovese grape is of medium size and oval shape: it has an intense ruby red color. Like Chianti, it is warm and very fruity, reflecting the characteristics of the territorial area, and extremely tannic. In the I Capolavori collection, the Chianti Riserva is combined with the beauty of the Vergine delle Rocce.
Both red wines and Tuscany feature again in the label dedicated to San Giovanni Battista: this is Brunello di Montalcino from the same I Capolavori collection. Brunello, as we know, is one of the most famous and well known red wines in the world. It is fruity with hints of blackberries, black currants and cherries. Its full and rich body provides soft fruity sensations that confirm the olfactory ones, well balanced by a good freshness.
