The wines of Italy have been popular in the United States for decades. Until a few years ago, however, a select number of offerings dominated these wines. Many Americans are familiar with the “Italian Big Four” table wines, as I refer to them: Chianti, Pinot Grigio, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and Prosecco.

These wines are perennially the best-selling Italian wines. In the last twenty years, a new wave of wines has reached our shores and is beginning to gain a following. Primitivo and Nero d’Avola are increasingly popular reds, while Vernaccia, Verdicchio and Falanghina are the rising whites.