The ultimate guide to the best Italian wine regions and wine hotels in Italy

Even those who have never travelled to Italy will instantly recognize Tuscan landscapes – the lush, green rolling hills, tall cypress trees, and perfect vineyard rows under the warm sun. Tuscany is one of the oldest and most prolific wine regions renowned for Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino wines that pair beautifully with the various local dishes and flavours you’ll taste on your journey here. Enjoy a picture perfect drive along the Via Chiantigiana south from Florence and dive deep into the rich world of winemaking that the locals are so proud of!

Located a 20-minute drive from Italy’s western coast, Hotel L’Andana is among the loveliest hideaways in Tuscany. Enclosed by the stunning Tuscan countryside, the renovated 16th-century hunting lodge offers all the luxuries needed for a memorable Italian holiday. The seven suites and 26 rooms feature warm interiors dotted with antique furniture and traditional elements. There’s plenty to do both on and off-site. Various wine experiences offer an intimate peek inside the delicate winemaking process. Back at the hotel, you can enjoy the ESPA spa or the Michelin-starred La Trattoria restaurant.

Wine resort Conti di San Bonifacio is a boutique country house in the Maremma region in Veneto with its own vineyards and working wine estate. Intimate, rich, and homely, it invites you to experience the beautiful Tuscan countryside in style. The perfect place to enjoy with a partner or a group of friends, the restored farmhouse will quickly charm you with its stone walls, huge windows, and wooden beams, not to mention the spacious terrace that overlooks the Tuscan hills.

While most people visiting Veneto go to Venice and Verona, it’s worth noting that some of the best experiences in the region lie outside these undoubtedly lovely yet touristy cities. Veneto is an ideal destination for foodies, romance seekers, and wine lovers – an impressive assortment of red and white wines are produced here thanks to the varying climate (cooler near the Alps and warmer near Lake Garda and the Adriatic Sea). Sparkling Prosecco and Pinot Grigio may be some of the most well-known wine varieties coming from Veneto, but don’t restrict yourself to only these! Make sure to also try Valpolicella, Amarone, Soave and Bardolino.

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean. It enjoys an ideal climate for growing grapes – plenty of sunshine and enough rainfall. Did you know that Sicily has the most vineyards in the whole country? While you can visit Sicily for the wine tours alone, there is plenty more to do and see. Sicily is renowned for its red grape variety Nero D’Avola which originates in the southeast. Make sure to taste the Alcamo and Moscato di Noto wines produced near Mt. Etna and the sweet Marsala, a fortified sipping wine often used in cooking.

Located in the “heel” part of Italy, Puglia enjoys a long coastline and a climate that makes it one of the most fertile regions in the country. It’s the perfect place to visit during peak season, as many tourists tend to flock to other regions, so it’s relatively tourist-free while offering fantastic food and wines for you to discover. Lecce, Martina Franca Salice Salentino and Manduria, known for Primitivo, are some of the popular wine towns in the region. More than half of the wines produced here are reds.

The city of Lecce is known as Florence of the South, thanks to its impressive baroque architecture, and within its old town, you will find a charming boutique hotel located in a former 15th-century synagogue. Vico dei Bolognesi per Palazzo Personè is known for its unique atmosphere and bespoke service, where each guest gets tailored recommendations and the highest quality hospitality from the hosts. Large, well-appointed rooms have modern furnishings and antique interior elements that remind of the building’s past. There are only six rooms and suites – an intimate atmosphere is guaranteed! Lecce is the perfect base from which you can explore Salento, where some of Italy’s most full-bodied and food-friendly wines are made.

Spanning a great part of central Italy, Emilia-Romagna is a large and hugely fertile region and also the country’s agricultural centre. Places like Bologna, Parma, and Modena are all in Emilia-Romagna. The region is known for producing world-renowned gastronomy like aged parma ham or prosciutto, Parmigiano-Regiano cheese and balsamic vinegar, as well as sparkling red wine Lambrusco. Unlike the rolling hills of Tuscany, the landscape of Emilia-Romagna has plenty of farmlands and rolling hills that are covered in bushy forest patches. The majority of vineyards are located around Modena and Bologna, but they do stretch as far as the Adriatic Sea.

The second-largest region in Italy is its northern part Piedmont. Not only is it known for its truffle hunting craze beginning at the end of September, but it is also famed for Barolo and Barbaresco wines made from Nebbiolo grape, which ripens in the vineyards covering the Langhe landscape. Walking is one of the best activities that will let you experience these lovely landscapes to the fullest before stopping at one of the charming towns and picturesque villages.

Casa di Langa, located between the Barolo, Barbaresco and Alta Lange wine regions, is among the best vineyard hotels in Italy. Inspired by traditional architecture, the imposing hotel has been constructed using local materials and delivers a well-rounded sustainable experience to all of its guests, who can enjoy waking up to the breathtaking views of Piedmont’s rolling hills. The luxurious hotel is surrounded by 42 acres of working vineyards and an awe-inspiring natural landscape. Each of the 39 rooms has a private terrace for you to relax on, as well as bathrooms with rainfall showers and luxury toiletries. Enjoy everything from wine tasting and cooking classes to truffle hunts and evenings of live music.

Umbria is known to instantly charm visitors with its beautiful rolling hills, medieval towns, flavoursome wines, and delectable cuisine – a dream destination for any gourmand! In Umbria, each town is more magical than the next, serving a mesmerising mix of culture, art, and history. Winemaking in Umbria dates back to the times of Benedictine monks, as they were the ones who first planted vineyards in the region’s sandy soil. Nowadays, Orvieto is the most well-known Umbrian wine – a peachy and crisp white wine that makes up 80% of the wine produced here.

The landlocked Lombardy region in northern Italy is an industrial and commercial powerhouse, and its capital Milan is, of course, known as one of Europe’s fashion capitals. Despite that, it is known to produce some of the best small-production artisan wines. Its grand landscape features beautiful and unspoiled wine country that often goes unnoticed by the foreign eye. But winemaking has always been significant in Lombardy. Even centuries ago, religious orders, monasteries, and abbeys often produced wine on the side. Some of the best wines in Lombardy include Valtellina wines and the Pinot Noir wines of Oltrepò Pavese.

In a country as beautiful as Italy, it’s impossible to play the game of favourites. Each region, after all, has something unique and distinctly theirs to offer, but Abruzzo, without a doubt, is one that shines the brightest thanks to its impressive and alluring natural landscape. Located east of Rome, Abruzzo has both majestic mountain landscapes and divine Adriatic shorelines. While it’s certainly not the first part of Italy that comes to mind when thinking about wine production, it proudly grows Montepulciano, Trebbiano, Merlot, and Sangiovese grape varieties.

Trentino-Alto Adige is a part German-speaking, part Italian-speaking region of Italy – the Alto Adige part refers to South Tyrol. It is known for its majestic Alpine landscape with white peaks, dramatic Dolomites, thick forests, and beautiful river valleys. When it comes to wine, Trentino-Alto Adige is most renowned for its white wine varieties. Müller-Thurgau, Riesling Italico, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay are some of the lively, fresh, and fruity wines produced in the region. Vineyards in this region are some of the most beautiful you’ll see as they are often located on slopes with dramatic mountains in the background and charming towns and villages below.

When in Trentino-Alto Adige, one of the must-see places is the city of Bolzano, the capital of South Tyrol, which is also a good base for exploring the rest of the region. Stay at Goldenstern Townhouse and experience a luxurious and authentic atmosphere! Located in the old town, the pristinely restored historic building is charming both inside and out. Walk the cobbled streets to be greeted by welcoming staff and a building bursting with character. It’s easy to feel at home here – all rooms, suites, and apartments feel extremely home-like. Contemporary furnishings and design elements are so well-incorporated that they don’t take away the feeling of the historical appeal that the space has.

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