Italians take their wine seriously. That said, they’re here to enjoy it—and far from snobby, are usually rather laid-back about choosing a vintage. Wine is meant to go with food, after all, so it is often simple… and relatively cheap!

For this reason a nice house wine isn’t necessarily a terrible wine (and it’s usually better than what you’d find as a house wine in most other countries). Plus, it tends to be a local variety. Start with the basic rules, like to pair red wine with meat and white wine with fish, and ordering local wines, and you’ll be off to a good start.