As we all know that Italy is famous for many things, but perhaps it is most famous for its wine. The wines of Italy are almost as varied as the people themselves. Wine is very common in Italy, as are tea and coffee in other parts of the world. There are many different types of wine. The two most distinct classifications are red wine and white wine. There is a lot more to that than meets the eye when it comes to fine wine though. There are table wines, after dinner wines, lighter wine to be enjoyed during the day, the types of wine, whether white wine or red wine, are almost endless.

Italian wines are usually ranked among the best wines in the world. The demand for Italian wines is so high that this small country produces around 8 billion bottles of wine each year. But the growing number has not resulted in deterioration in quality, as most Italian wine producers are known for their strict quality control.

The history of Italian wine dates back around four thousand years. Perhaps, what has helped Italian wine stay ahead of its competitors is the fact that Italy has more local grape varieties than any other country on earth. Italian wine is considered unique due to rich blend of diverse wine cultures that exist in various wine regions in the country. There are certain general qualities of Italian wine which make it stand out in the crowded wine market.

A number of grape varieties that do not grow in other parts of the world are grown in Italy. These varieties are used for producing wines which have unmatched taste. Italian wines are available in a wide range of prices. Some of them are very expensive, but many of them are easily affordable. A number of Italian wine stores sell these wines online. Most popular department stores also sell Italian wine bottles from different parts of the world. It is better to buy Italian wine from an authorized store, as many ordinary wines are also sold as "Italian wine" in the market.

These are some of my personal favorite wine and food pairings for French and Italian wines:

Beef = Amarone,

Cheese = Beaujolais,

Chicken = Chardonnay,

Cold Meats = Tavel,

Chile = Grumello,

Chinese Food = Soave,

Clams and Oysters = Champagne,

Duck = Pouilly-Fume,

Fish = Muscadet,

Ham = Pinot Grigio,

Lamb = Saint-Emilion,

Ossco Bucco = Barbaresco,

Pate = Saint-Veran,

Pheasant = Vino Nobile di Montepulciano,

Pork = Pouilly-Fuisse,

Red Sauce = Chianti,

White Sauce = Pinot Grigio,

Sauerbraten = Riesling,

Shell Fish = Gavi,

Steak = Gattinara,

Stew = Barolo,

Veal = Soave, and

Venison = Pomerol

In the end, it is really a matter of personal preference and what suits your palate. If your restaurant does not have these particular recommendations in their wine cellar, you can always ask the sommelier to recommend something comparable.

These suggestions should enable you to at least buy or order to the proper wine to accompany dinner. Of course, there is a lot more to know about ordering wine, wine tasting, wine production, and wine conversation.