Italian Sparkling Wines

Italy has always been a big sparkling wine producer. In fact, this country has an ancient tradition of sparkling wines that date back to Roman times. This tradition has been carried down through generations to the present day. It is hard to find a part of Italy that has not dabbled in the art of sparkling wine.

Across the Italian peninsula, you can find all sorts of sparkling wines. From the traditional Franciacorta to casual and fizzy Lambrusco, the diversity is pretty unparalleled. That also means there are plenty of wines to pair food with!

• Franciacorta (frahn-chah-cor-tah)

  Produced on the hills around Brescia from a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc, Franciacorta is one of Italy’s most elegant sparklings. It's fruity, delicate, and complex, with hints of wild berries and green apples. It has silky effervescence.

• Oltrepo Pavese Spumante (ohl-treh-poh pah-veh-seh spoo-mæn-teh)

  From the province of Pavia, this “spumante” is based on a minimum of 70% of Pinot Noir with possible additions of Pinot Blanc, Gris, or Chardonnay. Harmonious and fresh, this wine is easy to drink. It is also made as a rosé, which is savoury with a good structure.

• Trento Spumante (treh-ntoh spoo-mæn-teh)

  Made with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, this sparkling is produced around the city of Trento. It is very bubbly, with bright acidity. The wine is made with the traditional method, just like Champagne and Franciacorta.

• Alta Langa (ahl-tah lahn-gah)

  This sparkling originates from Piedmont’s hills of the Alta Langa. Made in the traditional method using Champagne varieties Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, it is a delicious wine that not many people outside Italy have tried. On the nose, it combines dried fruit and honey. It is wonderfully creamy on the palette, with a striking minerality and abundant citrus flavours.

• IProsecco (pro-say-ko)

  Fizzy and aromatic, Prosecco is loved all over the world. It is a great party wine! Prosecco is made from mostly the Glera grape, unique to Northeastern Italy. The most prestigious Proseccos are produced in Valdobbiadene, in Veneto.

• Lambrusco (lam-broo-skoh)

  Eclectic and fizzy, this red sparkling is unique to Emilia-Romagna and it is made from the Lambrusco grape. Previously considered a cheap table wine, Lambrusco producers managed to change its reputation in the last 10 years: it will surprise you with its versatile personality and drinkability.

• Asti Spumante (Ah-stee spoo-mæn-teh)

  This sweet sparkling wine is light and fruity. Made from the Moscato grape, it has a delicate floral and fruity nose with acacia as well as apple and pear. It has nice and soft bubbles.

• Brachetto d’Acqui (bra-kay-toh dah-kwee)

  From the provinces of Asti and Alessandria in Piedmont, this wine is delicate and aromatic. It has a bold fuchsia colour that is unmistakable. It is a sweet sparkling wine that is an exquisite match with red fruit and chocolate desserts.

• North West

  This macro area is the most appreciated for sparkling wines. The hills of Piedmont are fantastic for growing indigenous and foreign grapes. Piedmont is home to the Alta Langa, a sought-after wine made from a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Piedmont also makes Asti Spumante, the sweeter Moscato D’Asti, and Brachetto d’Acqui.

  Moving slightly East, Lombardy is the kingdom of sparkling wine in Italy. Its geography and soils lend something special to sparklings. You will find delicious Oltrepo Pavese Spumante, a casual easy-drinking sparkling. Yet, the most impressive Lombardy sparkling in Franciacorta. This sparkling is arguably on the level of some of the best Champagnes.

• North East

  With beautiful mountains and hills, the Northeast of Italy contains very famous sparkling wine production. Between Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, you will find several vineyards growing Glera grapes for Prosecco. This fun sparkling wine is loved all over the world. North, in Trentino Alto Adige, you will discover classic method spumante, strongly influenced by the region’s soils and mountains.

  The Easternmost region of Friuli Venezia Giulia is not known for iconic sparkling options. However, the region’s long winemaking history resulted in numerous sparkling wines, particularly from the Colli Orientali.

• Central

  Central Italy does not produce an abundance of sparkling wine. However, the region of Emilia Romagna produces the well-known Lambrusco. This fizzy red sparkling comes only from the Lambrusco grape. In Tuscany, you can find interesting rosé sparkling from Sangiovese that is definitely worth tasting. Also, Marche produces some fizzy Verdicchio that is worth getting your hands on.

• South & Islands

  At the end of the Italian peninsula, you can find more casual sparkling wines. A few of Puglia’s wineries produce excellent sparklings with Chardonnay and Trebbiano. Campania is home to the fizzy Asprinio d'Aversa as well as sparkling Falanghina. Among the islands, there is not a tremendous amount of options. Sicily, though, does offer a few sparklings produced in the area of Etna. Several young winemakers are also experimenting with pet-nat style sparkling wines as well.