4 Italian Wine Regions Most Americans Have Never Heard Of
Explore Tullum DOCG, Aversa DOC, Gioia del Colle DOC & Fiano di Avellino DOC
There are a lot of things to love about Italy. The breathtaking landscapes that are living works of art everywhere you look. The actual works of art by some of the greatest masters the world has ever seen. Beaches, seas, mountains, and everything in between to explore. People who are so present and full of life. Of course the incredible cuisine, including a plethora of pastas, cheeses, salumi, and regional dishes all worth delving into. And then there is the wine – my personal favorite aspect of Italy. In terms of grape varieties and wine styles, the options are seemingly endless.
In reality, the Italian wines that make their way to America represent only a fraction of the variety that’s available. Partly because the lesser known grapes and regions are more challenging to sell here in the states. The majority of Americans tend to buy what they know – Barolo, Chianti, Brunello, all from better known, long-established regions.
Consequently, the little guys tend to get left behind. The under the radar grapes and off-the-beaten-path varieties take a little more effort all around. To track down, to understand, to sell, and to cultivate. To revitalize and produce in the first place. Luckily, a shift has begun over the last decade. Wine lovers are more interested in discovery, exploration, and in supporting artisanal producers who are working with respect to the environment, rather than large corporations more worried about their bottom line. After all, what’s more environmentally friendly than cultivating grape varieties native to the land rather than bringing in outsiders just because they’re better known?
And in Italy where diversity abounds, there are more producers elevating their native roots than ever before. I feel very fortunate to have spent so much time there over the last 5+ years, particularly because I was able to explore somewhat unknown wine regions and taste wines that I likely would have never encountered otherwise. I even came across a few new regions that I had never even heard of while on a couple of press and buyers trips last year.
All this to say, I wanted to introduce you to a handful of lesser known Italian wine regions I think you should know about.
Italian DOCs & DOCGs – What Are They?
In case you’re not familiar, Italian wine regions are designated by geographic indications which dictate what grapes can be produced there, the geographic area in which the wines can be produced, and specifics on wine styles, such as alcohol levels, barrel and bottle aging requirements, and more. For you the consumer, they are a means of guaranteeing a certain level of quality, at least in theory. For the Italian government, they are a means of making money. Wines can also be made outside of the traditional DOC and DOCG designations, and are usually bottled under the IGT/ IGP indication or as vino da tavola (table wine). Both have less strict regulations and more freedom for the producers to get creative.
IGT: Indicazione Geografica Tipica (Typical Geographic Indication)
IGP: Indicazione Geografica Protetta (Protected Geographic Indication) – interchangeable with IGT
DOC: Denominazione di Origine Controllata (Controlled Designation of Origin)
Stricter standards and more regulated than IGT/IGP
DOCG: Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (Controlled and Guaranteed Designation of Origin)
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s get into the regions I wanted to tell you about.
Tullum DOCG
I discovered the Tullum DOCG while on a press trip in Abruzzo last year. We visited a winery called Feudo Antico situated within Tullum, which was established by the company that owns the local cooperative, Cantina Tollo. Feudo Antico was founded on an archaeological site to preserve an ancient Roman winemaking facility uncovered when they were excavating land to plant a vineyard. It was SO cool to tour the facility, see where the ancient cisterns were buried underground, and check out the systems they used to transfer wine, all made in stone.
It was at Feudo Antico that I first encountered the Tullum DOCG. We learned from Francesa, Cantina Tollo’s marketing director, that it was the first or second DOCG established in the Abruzzo region. This is actually the smallest DOCG in all of Italy, encompassing only 23 hectares so you know that you’re getting something special.
Tullum DOCG is nestled between the Majella Massif and the Gran Sasso mountains on one side, and the sea on the other. The area encompasses the town of Tollo in the beautiful Apennines of Abruzzo’s Chieti province where the discovery of the ancient Roman “villae rusticae” mentioned above helped make the DOCG official in 2019.
The combination of mountain elevation, sea influences, and Abruzzo’s sunny days make for wines that are concentrated yet fresh and vibrant. Under this designation, you’ll find a rosso and rosso riserva made from Montepulciano, as well as Pecorino and Passerina white wines. All varieties native to Abruzzo.
As of yet, the only one I’ve tasted was the Cantina Tollo Tullum Rosso DOCG while at Feudo Antico and I absolutely loved it. I even bought a bottle to bring home! A beautifully balanced Montepulciano with layers of wild cherry, sweet spice, and violets, plus polished tannins and a hint of dark chocolate on the finish. Highly recommend.
Aversa DOC
I fortuitously encountered wines from the Aversa DOC last year at Radici del Sud when I sat down to taste the sparkling wines of Barbato with their winemaker. I had never heard of this small region in Campania before, nor was I familiar with its trademark grape – Asprinio.
The DOC solely encompasses 36 hectares and its wines must be made from a minimum of 85% Asprinio, including still whites and sparkling wines. So, if we’re talking about the Aversa DOC, then we must discuss Asprinio. This white variety is known for its trademark refreshing character and high acidity, making it an ideal candidate for traditional method sparkling wines. Asprinio can have a crisp, sharp flavor profile, which is why extended lees aging in the bottle following secondary fermentation adds depth, rounds texture, and enhances the wine’s mouthfeel.
Additionally, the sandy ash and volcanic soils found in this area of Campania bring even more tension and vivacity to these sparkling wines. I absolutely LOVED both bottlings from Barbato and am hoping to make them available to you eventually.
First, the Barbato 1907 Nature Brut Millesimato 2020 – aged on the lees for 40 months in an ancient tuff cave. With no dosage, this spumante delivered incredible freshness and a crisp minerality that was absolutely to die for. I’d never tasted a savory sparkling wine quite like it.
Then, the Barbato 1907 Gold Brut Millesimato 2022 was the cherry on top. Bottle aged on the lees for 24 months in the winery’s tuff caves, this sparkling wine was savory, fresh, and complex in all the best ways. I know some people scoff at the term, but these wines have delectable minerality.
Oh, one other thing – Barbato’s vines are trained in the traditional method for the region called Alberata Alta Aversana (“Married Vine”) on their own roots, a.k.a. no grafting. But what does that mean? The vines are trained up trees! And they must use ladders in order to complete the manual harvest.
Gioia del Colle DOC
The Gioia del Colle DOC is a gem of a region in Puglia that I had the honor of exploring last year for Radici del Sud. If you are on the hunt for exquisite Primitivo, then look no further than this region. Puglia is located in the south of Italy where the sun is always shining and it gets hot, really hot. Gioia del Colle is special because it sits at a higher elevation, 300-400 meters above sea level, than the rest of the relatively flat region.
The DOC encompasses 123 hectares and mainly has limestone soils with some clay, which are essential for producing the trademark freshness in Primitivo for which the region is known. Thanks to its higher elevations, Gioa del Colle benefits from large diurnal temperature shifts. Those hot days and cooler nights help grapes fully mature while preserving acidity, aromas, and flavors. Sea breezes also help moderate hot temperatures and many producers are able to dry farm their vines even though there is very low annual rainfall. The vines dig deep through the well-draining limestone soils to find water retained in the clay, thus creating sturdy, hardy vines.
There is no better Primitivo than that of Fatalone. Azienda Agricola Fatalone is a small, fifth-generation, family-owned organic winery nestled in the Gioia del Colle DOC, currently led by self-taught winemaker Pasquale Petrera. Founded in the late 19th century on the sunny, well-aired Spinomarino hill, one of the region’s prime spots for cultivating Primitivo, the winery takes its colorful name from a family ancestor nicknamed “the lady killer” (a local casanova), who famously credited his 98-year lifespan to a daily breakfast of equal parts fresh milk and Primitivo wine. Committed to organic farming across all five generations, Fatalone holds both I.C.E.A and U.S. NOP organic certifications, runs entirely on solar energy, and holds the distinction of being the first winery to bottle a Primitivo under the Gioia del Colle DOC, as well as a founding member of its protective Consortium in 2000.
The Fatalone Primitivo Gioia del Colle DOC Riserva was fresh yet robust. This wine bursts with black cherry, sour cherry, and earthy notes of clay and macchia. Incredible acidity drives the palate, with subtle balsamic undertones adding depth beneath the vibrant fruit. Focused, pure, and beautifully concentrated.
Fiano di Avellino DOCG
Finally, there’s the Fiano di Avellino DOCG, which admittedly is more well known and you may already be familiar with this one. But I had to include it because I love these wines and they have a certain something to them that always captivates me. Avellino is situated in the middle of Campania and the DOCG covers 434 hectares, so it’s much larger in respect to the other regions. Fiano is the main grape variety cultivated here, and wines under the DOCG must include a minimum of 85% Fiano with the remaining 15% from Coda di Volpe, Greco, and/or Trebbiano.
Fiano di Avellino has a unique ancient Roman heritage and grows at higher altitudes in volcanic clay soils which lend an irresistible freshness and ageability to the wines. While Fiano is very enjoyable young, unlike other crisp white wines that are often intended to be drunk within a year or two after bottling, Fiano di Avellino can age anywhere from 5 to 10 years. When young, the wines are softly textured with a silky mouthfeel and flavors of white pear, peach, juicy citrus, and delicate florals. But with age, they become more complex, taking on a honeyed quality with notes of toasted hazelnuts and spice. A super interesting evolution that everyone should experience at least once.
Vini Contrada produces some of the best Fiano di Avellino I’ve had. This is a family-owned winery in Campania, founded in 2003 by brothers Michele and Gerardo Contrada, whose family has been cultivating vines since the early 1900s. Michele tends exclusively to the vineyards while Gerardo oversees the commercial and marketing side, together with cellar collaborator Rita and oenologist Carmine Valentino. Rooted in a deep respect for the land and its traditions, the winery pairs old-world values with modern innovation.
Their Selvacorte Fiano di Avellino Riserva DOCG is a luminous and expressive white from Campania, aged a minimum of 24 months and a 2nd place winner from the Italian Jury in the Fiano category at Radici del Sud. Aromas of acacia blossom, lime, white peach, and spice lead to a lively, structured palate with bright acidity, toasted hazelnut, honey, and citrus. Clay and calcareous soils add impressive minerality and depth.
Why I’m Betting My Next Chapter On Italian Wine
Italy is unlike anywhere else in the wine world, and honestly, I don’t think we’ve even scratched the surface. From the tiny 23-hectare Tullum DOCG tucked in the Abruzzo Apennines to the volcanic soils of Campania and the sun-drenched limestone hills of Puglia, there are gems waiting to be uncovered in virtually every corner of the country.
What moves me most, though, isn’t just the terroir or the grape varieties. It’s the families behind the wines. Generations of people who have poured their lives into the land, who farm with integrity, and who are keeping ancient traditions alive while quietly producing some of the most exciting bottles in the world. They deserve a seat at the table, and wine lovers deserve to know they exist. That’s the Italy I’m chasing. Not the one already on everyone’s radar, but the one that rewards curiosity, adventure, and a willingness to venture beyond the familiar. There is no shortage of discovery here, and I for one am just getting started.