With Italy once again being named the world’s best place to drink wine in Last Minute’s Wine Travel Index, the temptation is certainly strong to pack a suitcase and head for a flavour of the Dolce Vita once Christmas Day is done and dusted.
But with the cost of living crisis continuing, and strikes recently announced at various airports across the country, a cheeky New Year’s trip to Bel Paese feels a little out of the question this year.
Instead, why not bring the flavours of Italy into your home for a sophisticated, delicious celebration as 2022 comes to a close? Whether you’re serving a feast inspired by the country’s famously fabulous food, or you’re simply looking for a particularly fine tipple to see in another turn around the sun, here are the best Italian wines to drink on New Year’s Eve.
Prosecco
Of course, we had to start here, with arguably Italy’s most beloved celebratory drink. Perfect with anti-pasti, Prosecco is best enjoyed as an aperitif to accompany stuzzichini (Italian nibbles) such as cured meats, buffalo mozzarella with cherry tomatoes, black olive tapenade and focaccia.
It’s equally good popped at a minute before midnight, though, let’s be honest!
Chianti
Chianti is probably one of Italy’s most iconic vintages, with ancient origins dating back to the Middle Ages.Traditionally the wine is made from the Sangiovese grapes and benefits from the rugged Tuscan terrain and diversity of soil, which adds great personality to its taste. Today, in Tuscany, tours of the Chianti region’s hillside estates are popular among tourists for both the quality of sampling opportunities and the stunningly picturesque landscape that is impossible to escape!
At home for New Year’s Eve, it’s a different story, of course, but the wine does hold up to the chillier climes of the season. The red fruit and herbaceous flavour of Chianti makes it the perfect partner to dishes that use olive oil or with red meats. Enjoy a glass of Chianti with a steak carpaccio served simply with a rocket salad, or, if you’re seeing out the year in style, why not serve yours alongside some liver and fava beans?
Montepulciano
This medieval hilltop town of Montepulciano in Southern Tuscany is one of extraordinary beauty, with the surrounding countryside covered in vineyards that produce the area’s famous Vino Nobile. Quite literally translated into ‘the perfect wine, of noble men’, the Nobile is once again the product of quality Sangiovese grapes combined with a perfected ageing process.
This medium-bodied red wine is one of Italy’s most popular grapes. Its robust flavour pairs well with roasted vegetables such as sweet potatoes, parsnips or beetroot, making it the perfect serve for a vegetarian feast this New Year’s Eve.
Read: 5 IDEAL tips on how to plan a fancy dinner party
Barolo
If you’re serving something rich and extravagant like a roast rib of beef, then you’ll want a celebratory, tannic wine to match it; enter Barolo.
Hailing from Italy’s Piedmont region and made from a grape called Nebbiolo, Barolo is considered one of the world’s best wines, boasting complex aromas of rose, tar and liquorice.
When paired with red meat, the tannins soften in the mouth and the wine develops a luxurious texture, as well as making the meat feel more tender and its flavour more pronounced. Sounds just perfect for a lavish New Year’s Eve feast, don’t you think?
Sassicaia
We end with Sassicaia, the world’s first ‘super Tuscan’, a rule-breaking Italian wine that blends Bourdeaux’s Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc and throws a little Italian wine-making sensibility into the mix. The result is spectacular.
Sassicaia is typically prized for its suppleness, fragrance, and grace. The wine has a rich, regal crimson colour and a round, savoury, full-bodied flavour. It also has smooth tannins and a lengthy finish. Additionally, it has a range of red fruit fragrances.
Sassicaia was created by defying the rules, yet it may be used in cooking just like any other good Tuscan red. Sassicaia wine may be used in marinades for red meats, to provide body to stews, and, of course, in ragus and other pasta sauces, in keeping with the celebrated Tuscan tradition of robust, generous cuisine. Due to its easy drinkability, it is also regarded as a wonderful table wine, and one fitting for your New Year’s Eve party.
And with that, we wish you a wonderful 2023!