A Guide to Inexpensive Italian Wines

There are many regions where very good Italian wines are created and I have been fortunate to try a few that really don't cost that much money and make a great gift for the holidays. However, for the price they even make a fantastic choice of wines that you can enjoy any night of the week with company or even by yourself. The ones that I recommend below can be found at just about any ABC Liquor store or similar large purveyor of alcohol that offers a good size selection of wines. As for finding a good year, when it comes to newer wines, you just have to try them. Personally I have always found that odd years are always better than even, but that's just my personal opinion.

Luna di Luna Chardonnay/Pinot Grigio - This delicious combination comes from the Veneto region of Italy and though the blend is relatively new, the taste makes this worth the mere $9 you'll spend. With it's 60/40 blend you will be treated to a very nice white wine with earthy tones with a slightly spicy finish. You can certainly taste the fruit in this mildly dry, full-bodied pinot grigio. Depending upon your palate, you should be able to make out flavors of melon, apples and peaches as well as a touch of berry. You may not consider a blend a good way to go, but you can trust me that this blend is well worth a trip to the store and the blue bottle makes a nice addition to a holiday table.

Luna di Luna Merlot/Cabernet - A rich berry taste in a delicately balanced wine, this is also a great choice for your holiday dinner party and well worth the low price of around $10 to $12 depending on where you find it. In this wine you'll taste a variety of blackberry, raspberry and plum. The combination of the merlot and Cabernet grapes gives this a distinct rich garnet color and goes great with any beef dinner or pasta with red sauce. The deep red bottle also looks great on a table at Christmas time.

Ecco Domani Merlot - An exquisite merlot grape harvested in the Trentino region of Italy. Here you will find a ruby-red shade of wine with subtle tannins. The flavor and aroma of well-ripened blackberry dances on the palate with notes of spice and cherries. A wonderful choice with a red pasta dish or beef dinner. Also accompanies strong flavored cheeses very nicely. An easy choice of Merlot for around $11 a bottle fits nicely into our current economy.

Bella Sera Pinor Noir - I like a really good Pinot Noir, unfortunately I just can't afford to buy them all the time, so I have to make do with a cheaper version every so often and Bella Sera fits the bill just fine. This comes from the Friuili region, a cool climate area of northeast Italy. With aromas of fresh red berries and a light hint of spice, at around $13 or less, depending on where you buy it, this is a nice table wine for any day of the week. Pair this crispy red with a rich chicken dish or any creamy pasta dinner.

Ruffino Lumina Pinot Grigio - This elegant medium bodied wine comes from the grapes of Ruffino's Borgo Conventi estate, as well as grapes coming from the Venezia Giulia area, creating a crispy pear and citrus aroma that's quite easy to drink and goes wonderfully with seafood and light chicken dishes. This also pairs well with fruit and cheese platters. You can find a bottle of this delicious bargain for about $13 and enjoy all year long.