Few wine countries are as closely tied to place as Italy. From Nebbiolo grown in the hills of Piedmont to Sangiovese in Tuscany, Garganega in Veneto and the indigenous varieties of Sicily and southern Italy, regional identity sits at the centre of Italian wine.
Our collection moves across the country, bringing together established appellations, regional classics and individual vineyard wines alongside more contemporary expressions of Italy's native varieties.
Piedmont: Barolo, Barbaresco & Nebbiolo
Piedmont is a particular focus of the Kent Street Cellars Italian collection, led by the Nebbiolo-based wines of Barolo and Barbaresco.
Barolo provides some of the collection's greatest depth, spanning village and estate bottlings through to individual MGA and cru wines, older vintages and large formats. Producers include Massolino, Vietti, Pio Cesare, G.D. Vajra, Bruno Giacosa, Poderi Luigi Einaudi, Trediberri, Fratelli Revello and others.
Barbaresco offers another perspective on Nebbiolo, while Langhe Nebbiolo provides a broader introduction to the variety outside the two great denominations.
Beyond Nebbiolo, Piedmont is also home to Barbera, Dolcetto, Arneis, Moscato and other regional varieties, giving the collection considerably more range than Barolo alone.
Tuscany: Chianti, Brunello & Sangiovese
In Tuscany, Sangiovese takes the lead.
The collection spans Chianti and Chianti Classico, regional Tuscan Sangiovese and the more structured wines of Montalcino, including Rosso di Montalcino and Brunello di Montalcino.
Producers including Canalicchio di Sopra, Fontodi, Marchesi Antinori and Mastrojanni offer different interpretations of Tuscany's vineyards, from approachable regional wines to individual sites and age-worthy releases.
For those exploring Italian red wine by variety, Tuscany provides one of the clearest ways to understand the range Sangiovese can achieve across different places and appellations.
Veneto: Valpolicella, Amarone & Soave
The Veneto moves between some of northern Italy's most distinctive red and white wine traditions.
Around Valpolicella, Corvina and its traditional blending partners form the basis of styles ranging from fresh Valpolicella through to richer wines shaped by appassimento and extended maturation.
For white wine, Soave places Garganega at the centre. Producers such as Suavia show the more precise and site-driven side of the appellation, particularly within Soave Classico.
The wider region also contributes Pinot Grigio and other northern Italian whites to the collection.
Sicily & Southern Italy
Further south, Italy's wine landscape changes considerably.
Sicily brings Mediterranean varieties, volcanic landscapes and a growing focus on individual sites, while Puglia is associated with varieties including Primitivo and Negroamaro. Abruzzo, meanwhile, is particularly known for Montepulciano d'Abruzzo alongside increasingly distinctive regional white wines.
These regions offer a useful counterpoint to the wines of Piedmont and Tuscany, with different varieties, climates and winemaking traditions shaping the wines.
Italian White Wine
Italy's white wines are remarkably diverse.
Alongside familiar Pinot Grigio, the collection includes varieties and appellations such as Garganega and Soave, Arneis, Chardonnay and other indigenous Italian whites.
Styles move from bright, uncomplicated wines made for early drinking to more structured, site-specific whites capable of developing considerably with bottle age.
Italian Red Wine
Italy's red wine landscape stretches well beyond a handful of famous appellations.
Nebbiolo and Sangiovese form two of the major pillars of the collection, joined by Barbera, Dolcetto, Corvina, Montepulciano, Primitivo and a long list of regional varieties and blends.
From fragrant Langhe Nebbiolo and youthful Sangiovese through to Barolo, Brunello and mature cellar releases, there is considerable variation in weight, structure and ageing potential.
Understanding Italian Wine Labels
Italian wine labels often place as much emphasis on place as grape variety.
Terms such as DOC and DOCG refer to legally defined denominations with rules governing where and how a wine can be produced. Within those denominations, village names, vineyard sites and classifications can provide increasingly specific information about origin.
In Barolo and Barbaresco, for example, MGA identifies officially delimited geographical areas. In Tuscany, names such as Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino indicate specific denominations with their own geographical boundaries and production requirements.
Learning the place is often the easiest way to understand what is in the bottle.
Shop Italian Wine at Kent Street Cellars
Explore Italian wine from Piedmont, Tuscany, Veneto, Sicily, Puglia, Abruzzo and beyond, spanning everyday regional wines through to cru Barolo, Brunello di Montalcino, mature vintages and collectable releases.
The collection includes red, white and rosé wines alongside selected half bottles and magnums, with new vintages and releases added as they arrive.
Delivery is available Australia-wide, with same-day delivery also available across eligible Sydney metropolitan areas.
