You can of course pay a good deal of money for top end wines from the best producers. This being Italy, brands matter, and there are certain important names which are widely recognized internationally. Gaja, Antinori and Quintarelli all spring to mind. There is a premium to be paid for those labels, however, and it can be more rewarding to look for value and quality among some of the lesser known producers.
The range of Italian wine styles is huge, ranging from rich heavy Amarone to light sparkling Prosecco. Prosecco sales in Hong Kong have shot up over the last couple of years, and Pinot Grigio is in vogue as an easy drinking white in many local bars and restaurants.
Amarone is growing steadily in popularity, and even the most loyal Hong Kong Bordeaux connoisseurs have displayed a certain susceptibility to the charms of Tuscany’s Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino, or Piedmont’s Barolo.
Sicilian wines are less well known here, but the island is an up and coming Italian wine region which has been hailed as “the California of the Mediterranean”, a place where wine makers are keen to experiment with both traditional local varieties and with international imports.
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