Italian wines are widely esteemed around the globe. Each beautiful bottle stands as testament to the passion, expertise, and hard work put forth by their farmers.

Grapes

If you want to make true wine from grapes rather than some sort of fruity beverage made by mixing juice or vinegar with sugar, you will require both patience and an ample supply of grapes - as well as equipment and knowledge for successful production.

Italians have almost 6,000 years of experience cultivating grapes, understanding which grape varieties do well in certain regions while others excel elsewhere - this knowledge has led to over 500 different indigenous grape varieties being created in Italy alone!

Many varieties are used to craft single varietal wines from specific regions. Sangiovese excels at this task in Tuscany while Nebbiolo thrives in Piedmont's high mountain regions where it yields aged, full bodied wines. Etna DOC boasts refreshing whites produced using Carricante from Sicily while Nerello Mascalese and Nero d'Avola serve for reds in Etna DOC from Sicily.

Fermentation

Making homemade wine was once an integral part of life for most Italian families, used at holidays, funerals, births and even as medicine to ease cold symptoms. Making wine at home also served to preserve family traditions while earning some extra funds for special events or celebrations.

Winemaking was an inefficient, time-consuming affair that involved placing grapes on wooden planks and crushing them with feet (no mechanical crushers were available back then), then mashing and pouring the juice into a large basin where yeast would ferment for weeks until bottling could take place.

Wine can be enhanced by infusing it with various spices and ingredients for added flavors, for instance mulled wine. This warm and cozy drink typically features red wine mixed with citrus zests like orange, cinnamon and cloves and is heated over low heat to create an aromatic beverage perfect for pairing with various dishes.

Bottling

As once was the custom in Little Italy neighborhoods, people regularly made wine at home using ancient recipes passed down through generations. Their homemade wines would accompany pasta dishes as well as meats, fish, chicken dishes and desserts; and were often drunk at holidays, births and deaths events - red or white was usually the choice available to them.

Once fermentation has concluded and the wine has cleared, it's time to bottle. Everything must be cleaned and sterilized first before siphoning can take place.

The bottler must ensure the wine remains undisturbed during bottling and all air has been eliminated before inserting corks and closing the bottles. Once closed, your wine needs to rest on its side for several months to a year in order to develop its full flavor - an exhilarating experience to craft your own vino!

Serving

Years ago, wine was an integral part of Italian life, alongside pasta and fresh tomatoes from their garden. Wine served both social purposes as a thirst quencher during afternoon siestas as well as special events. Italian home winemakers would make their own wine to serve with meals or on special occasions, including birthdays, holidays or when someone had a cold. It wasn't unusual to see homemade red wine served at special celebrations such as birthdays or holidays - sometimes even just when feeling under the weather!

Italian red wines should be enjoyed with friends and family for maximum pleasure. No matter if you spent all day cooking for them or ordered takeout, a good bottle of wine will enhance and bring out its full potential flavors.

Red wine should be served just a couple of degrees below room temperature; the exact serving temperature depends on its variety and label for more specific advice.