Italian Wine between $25 and $50

Nebbiolo from the foothills of the Alps in Lombardy gives a prettier, more accessible, delight than the stern wines of Barolo and Barbaresco. As you’ll taste here in a wonderfully ripe and silky expression of Nebbiolo with... Read More

Organic/Bio This more or less natural wine estate in Tuscany focuses on biodynamic farming of non-traditional grapes for the region. Like here, a wild blend of Alicante Nero, Mourvedre, Sangiovese and Alicante Bouschet done -... Read More

Organic/Bio As Vinous says, Gilberto Bonipert is one of the rising stars of Alto Piemonte, the region above Barolo and Barbaresco that reaches into the foothills of the Alps. This is his all-steel Nebbiolo and it’s a treat... Read More

Coco Chanel used to advise that the last thing a fashionable person should do before walking out the door is take off one accessory - less is more. Here, despite a brief stay in barrel, the winery left the oak at home and lets... Read More

Christian Bellei is, as Vinous said recently, one of the true Lambrusco di Sorbara masters. A 4th generation Lambrusco maker, Bellei continues his father's innovation of making Lambrusco in the Champagne method - with the... Read More

If you don't think of Alto Adige for Chardonnay...well, you will after this! From hand-harvested grapes done 50/50 in steel and big, old, oak casks, it has the richness to satisfy California fans and purity, acidity and minerality... Read More

At any other winery, this would be their top Pinot Blanc, if not their top white overall. It's from a super-steep, mountainside, site with barren quartz soils and huge swings in day/night temperature. Wine Spectator describes... Read More

Lower ABV No, we’d never heard of Pelaverga either. It’s an old grape from the Barolo region that today is still hanging on here and there in the hills to the north. Gian Luca Colombo makes this alongside his Barolo... Read More

Lower ABV A lovely rose of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo that's dry, soft, and welcoming with building intensity through the spiced cherry finish. As Wine Enthusiast says in the 93 point review, The nose is fresh and floral,... Read More

Built to age, this is Pecorino of enourmous presence and potential. As Vinous says in the 91 piont review, understated and a bit backward in the glass, with nuances of savory herbs, wildflowers and crushed green apples. It opens... Read More

Lower ABV Chased out of post-phylloxera vineyards by higher-yielding Trebbiano, Pecorino was thought to be extinct until a few very old vines were discovered in the mid-1980s. Today it's arguably the flagship white of Italy's... Read More

Trebbiano d'Abruzzo is emphatically NOT the boring version found in Tuscany. Especially when grown with care and given a natural fermentation and raising like here. As Vinous says in the 93 point review, seduces from the first... Read More

Organic/Bio Wine Advocate's review of the 2020 captures this delicious, all-purpose, Sangiovese Grosso perfectly. Hits all the right buttons, especially if you are looking for an easy-drinking Tuscan red to pair with you next... Read More

Located right next door to the Asti wine region, the vermouth is 100% Piemonte, from the base wine being the local Cortese grape (same grape as Gavi DOC) to the local Piedmontese botanicals. Giulio Cocchi knew what he was doing... Read More

Lower ABV The debut release from Francesco, Lorenzo, and Caterina Cordero—the grandchildren of Luciana Vietti and Alfredo Currado – after departing Vietti is very impressive. Even the label – done by the Cordero... Read More

Always built to show well on the early side, the 2020 Barolo Lecinquevigne benefits from Damilano's plump and nicely fruit-filled house style. As Wine Spectator says in their 94 point review, Stitched with pure cherry and... Read More

Nebbiolo in the foothills of the Alps in northern Lombardy is more beautiful than powerful and widly food-friendly. As Vinous says in the review of this village release, attractive, if a touch ethereal. Crushed red berry fruit,... Read More

Organic/Bio Year-in, year-out, one of our very favorite Rosso di Montalcino... Read More

Tuscany’s Sangiovese grape gives a different wine in Brunello than in Chianti to the north: darker, fleshier, richer, more perfumed and, often, needing many more years to really be delicious. At Donna Olga, winegrower Olga... Read More

Ready now, especially in half-bottle! As Vinous says in the 91 point review, A brooding mix of red plum, brown spice and crushed rocks is nicely offset by a flourish of violet florals as the 2018 Brunello di Montalcino opens in... Read More

Organic/Bio One of the finest Barbera reds in the world shines as brightly as ever in the 2023 harvest. As Wine Enthusiast says in the 93 point review, Crafted with Barolo-level devotion, this structured Barbera seduces through... Read More

This is a fabulous bargain in very high-end Etna red. It's mainly Nerello Mascalese with a smattering of the softer Nerello Cappuccio from sites across the north slopes of the volcano. It’s wonderfully layered and complex,... Read More

Expanding from their fine Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Icario created this super-Tuscan blend of 60% Sangiovese plus Cabernet and Merlot, all done in French oak. It's rich and deep with layers of blackberry, blackcurrant,... Read More

Organic/Bio What you're looking for when you're looking for Chianti Classico, WS says in the 92 point review, Notes of crunchy cherry, raspberry and wild rosemary meet a hint of anise in this charming red, with a mineral... Read More

Lower ABV Coming from vineyards sites nearing 300 meters above sea level, this 100% Garganega shows both sophistication and an ease of drinking. An engaging aroma of apricot, peach, wild flowers, and subtle hints of exotic fruits... Read More