How often do you buy a wine with a guarantee? The “G” in DOCG means that both the quality and flavor are guaranteed under strict standards for Chianti wines. The winemakers took it one step further by blending in a tiny portion of Merlot. No rough edges here.

Lots of red fruit flavors floating on soft tannins. Crisp finish. A nice, mid-weight red for pasta with tomato sauce.

There is a wine tourism route in northwest Italy called “La Strada del Merlot” through the valley of the Isonzo River. Merlot is very well established, and well made, in Italy. Bella Sera’s winemakers used small steel fermenters to get good contact between the skin and the juice, and they put a portion of the wine on oak to blend back for complexity.

Deep scarlet color, with aromas of raspberry and plum. Medium body, round, with a smooth finish.

What is more Italian than a sprightly Pinot Grigio? One of Italy’s greatest gifts to wine lovers who just want to have fun. Maybe it is a mutation of the intellectual Pinot Noir, but it is always the one you come back for. Good with a wide range of foods. Good with a wide range of moods.

Promising bright color. The wine delivers: apricot, pear, apple flavors. Crisp, light finish.

Really good Pinot Noir (Pinot Nero) has been coming out of northeast Italy for years. Here is an example of an easy-going Italian Pinot with a lot to offer. With the Alps at their back and the Adriatic to the front, these vineyards are happy.

Aromas and flavors of fresh cherry and spice. Nice balance of fruit with a firm acid structure. Soft tannins and a full finish.