Italian red blend wines offer plenty of fruit flavors at reasonable prices. Use this guide to find good options from Italy’s wine regions, including southern Italy, central Italy, and beyond.
Italian Red Blend: What Are The Main Wine Grapes Used?
Knowing the main combinations of grape varieties used in Italian wine is essential. When you understand these winemaking traditions, navigating the various Italian wine brands and finding delicious wines is easier.
International Varieties
When you look at a bottle of Italian red blend, international grape varieties are likely to be popular. When browsing Italian wine brands, expect to see the following wine grape varieties mentioned in the product details. Common international grape varieties in Italian red blend wines include Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah.
Indigenous Grape Varieties
Italian wine producers have grown grapes for thousands of years and have cultivated great Italian varieties. By some estimates, there are over 300 grape varieties native to Italy! Some of the most well-known red wine grape varieties cultivated in Italy include Barbera, Nebbiolo (popular in Piedmontese wine), and Nero d’Avola (the key red wine grape in Sicily), and Sangiovese.
Italian Red Blends Under $30
Now that you know the main grapes to expect in the bottle let’s look at a few affordable options. I don’t promise that these will be the cheapest wines. Instead, the focus is on finding a wine style that brings pleasure to wine lovers. Overall, these wines will tend to be full-bodied.
However, these wines are typically average for an average price under $30 from the online wine merchant sources I consulted. Try some of these, and you may add some of them to your list of favorite wine styles.
1) Allegrini – Palazzo della Torre 2018
Available at a sale price under $20, this Italian red blend wine comes from the Veneto region. Expect to enjoy well-integrated, velvety tannins. The primary fruit is currant. The bottle has earned a wine rating of 93 from wine expert James Suckling.
2) Antinori – Villa Antinori Toscana Rosso 2018
Produced in Tuscany, this red blend is made from multiple red wine grapes: cabernet franc, merlot, Sangiovese, and syrah. The fruit flavors in the bottle include blueberries and blackberries. The wine sells for less than $25 in most cases.
3) Ramitello Biferno Molise 2016
This red blend comes from the Abruzzo, a historic region in southern Italy that has made great wines for many years. There is noticeable tannin content best described as fine tannins. With an original price under $20, this wine is a unique blend of two Italian varieties: 85% Montepulciano and 15% Aglianico. This Southern Italy red wine has earned a 90-point wine critic score.
4) Rosso Sant’antimo Montalcino
This Tuscan wine offers striking dark fruit flavors. Ending in a fresh finish, this Italian red blend is made up of several grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sangiovese. This Italian wine sells for less than $20.
5) Romitoro RossoToscana
This vintage rates close attention for a wine lover seeking maximum drinking pleasure. The wine spends months in the bottle after spending months in oak barrels. The fruit flavors in this wine include blackberry, plum, and prune. This wine has also earned a 93-point score from Wine Advocate and has a retail price of under $25.
Italian Red Blend Wine In Summary
Experiencing the excellent wine heritage of Italian wines doesn’t have to be complicated. These blend wines offer a great entry point into Italian red wines. If you like these wines, there is more to explore, like the super Tuscan category. These blended wines offer great value for the price, so pick a bottle and enjoy!
