For many people, lockdown has been an opportunity to relax and indulge in small pleasures like cooking leisurely meals and sipping good wine. We’ve taken a look at the most-bought wines from our website this spring, and there are a few surprises in there. For example, while “Prosecco” is the most searched for wine in the UK, it’s actually an Italian red that takes the top spot!
We wanted to share our Top Ten Italian Wines During Lockdown of the Pops style “wine chart” with you to show off our biggest hits – and maybe inspire you to try something new.
Number Ten – Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOCG
Our tenth most popular wine during lockdown is this fabulous red wine from Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOCG – a really deep and complex red wine. It’s clearly one of the best in its class, having won the prestigious “two glasses” award from Gambero Rosso, and the Golden Medal from Mundus Vini.
Number Nine – Pinot Blanc
This delicate Palladium Pinot Blanc 2018 from the Alpine vineyards of Alto Adige DOC takes ninth place. This wine was made by the Swiss-Italian Martini family, and has a very pleasant and complex flavour profile. Expect flavours of guava, lychee, grapefruit, bread and honey.
Number Eight – Moscato
This light and sweet sparkling Moscato wine is named “flight of the butterfly”, and is another hit from the Scagliola winemaking family. It’s only 5% ABV and is packed with aromas of lemon, yellow apple and sweet tropical fruits – an ideal bubbly for the coming summer!
Number Seven – SanSi Barbera 2017
Place number seven is taken by SanSi Barbera 2017, crafted by the Scagliola family. This is a fabulous wine which was included in the Gambero Rosso final tasting and won the coveted “two glasses” award. It was also included in Italy’s national list of best wines. This wine has deep flavours of fresh red fruits and is starting to show beautiful signs of age, with complex aromas of leather, earth and spices.
Number Six – Pinot Grigio
The next on the list is another Italian classic – Pinot Grigio 2018, from Delle Venezie DOC. This wine really stands out and was given a high rating by the Austrian lifestyle magazine Falstaff. It is very fresh and fruity, with flavours of mango, peach, orange blossom and citrus.
Number Five – Prosecco Millesimato Brut Cuvèe Del Fondatore
Two Proseccos made it into the “Top Ten Italian wine” chart, with this delightful Prosecco Millesimato Brut Cuvèe Del Fondatore – or “the founder’s cuvèe” – in fifth place. This is a beautiful wine for sunny day celebrations, with aromas of acacia flowers, citrus and green apples. An excellent choice for spring.
Number Four – Prosecco Millesimato Extra Dry
Prosecco Millesimato Extra Dry is your number 4 – It’s certainly surprising to see the UK’s most searched for wine just scraping in to the top five! The “Millesimato” designation means this wine was made only from grapes harvested in the same year, which is typical for higher-class Proseccos. It is called “extra dry”, and has a very balanced and fresh flavour. An ideal fizz to sip while enjoying sunshine in the garden!
Number Three – Primitivo
One placement that didn’t surprise us was the ever-popular Primitivo at number three. Rich and deep, with flavours of ripe black berries and dried fruits, this wine is more widely known under its American name “Zinfandel” (or simply “Zin”). The grape may have been made popular by California’s winemakers, but the Italian version is known for its natural freshness. It’s more savoury, with less oaky sweetness, as it’s aged in French rather than American oak.
Number Two – Roero Arneis
In second place is Roero Arneis Saglietto 2016, a very pleasant surprise as this white wine isn’t very well-known in the UK. This fresh and aromatic white wine from Piedmont is a true hidden gem and a novelty for lots of UK customers. Those who try it can’t help but love it – it has a very devoted following because of its fine tropical fruit flavours. Again, this wine is exclusively brought to Britain by Independent Wine so it makes us really happy to see it in such a high position.
Number One – Chianti Classico DOCG
Our best-selling wine this spring was the delicious Chianti Classico DOCG produced by Castello di Radda. We’re glad you all love it – Independent Wine was the first to introduce this particular bottle to the UK, and our stock very quickly sold out. Don’t worry, we have other Chianti Classico DOCGs in stock that we know you’ll adore, and if you want to try the official Lockdown Number One we’re taking delivery of more Castello di Radda soon. Watch this space![/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]And that’s a wrap, folks! We hope you found it interesting to see what types of Italian wine have been flying off our virtual shelves during the Lockdown times, and that you’re tempted to try something new. As always, we want you to stay safe and enjoy our carefully selected wine responsibly. Saluti!