Italy is a world leader in wine production. However, not all labels available in Italian supermarkets maintain the expected quality standards.
According to winemaker Carlo Peretti, to find good wines in retail chains, consumers need to pay attention to certain details on the label and avoid misleading offers.
Lowest
Peretti recommends avoiding wines costing less than €5. For sparkling wines, the benchmark price rises to €7. This is because the production process involves several costs, and below this level, the wine is unlikely to be of acceptable quality.
Value local labels
Buying wines from your region offers logistical advantages and ensures freshness. Furthermore, many supermarkets partner with local producers, improving the cost-benefit ratio.
To identify the origin, simply check the back of the bottle, which shows the place of production and bottling.
Recent harvest
Improper shelf storage can impair flavor. Ideally, choose whites aged up to two years and reds up to three years. For sparkling wines, pay attention to the disgorgement date (sboccatura), which should be no more than 18 months old.
Wine classification
Choose labels with the acronyms DOCG, DOC, or IGT. These indicate greater control over the grapes' origin and production method. Outside these categories, we recommend avoiding them.
Production and bottling
If possible, choose wines that say “Imbottigliato all'origine da” or “Prodotto e imbottigliato da”, a sign that the entire process was carried out by the same producer.
Beware of promotions
Be wary of aggressive offers. One example Peretti cites is a Brunello di Montalcino at €8 with a 50% discount. According to him, this type of product is unlikely to maintain the quality of the original.
It's also common to find promotions called "half off the double," in which the supermarket raises the original price and then applies a fictitious discount. In these cases, the final price paid by the consumer may be equal to or even higher than the actual price of the product.
Low quality signals
Some clues can help you avoid bad labels:
- Avoid light bottles, especially sparkling wines;
- Be wary of labels with plastic stickers;
- Use screw caps only for white wines;
- Avoid synthetic corks;
- Avoid transparent bottles, which leave the wine more exposed to light.
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