5 Italian Wines for Late Summer

Late summer is a useful excuse to put a few different Italian wine styles on the table. These five 2024 bottles range from Prosecco and Franciacorta to Nero d’Avola, Chianti Classico and Merlot. Vintages and availability change, so check current bottle details separately.

Avissi Prosecco DOC

Avissi Prosecco DOC was the light, sparkling option in the group. Its crisp profile and bubbles made it an easy fit for a warm-weather gathering or a simple toast before dinner.

In 2024, the bottle was associated with National Prosecco Week. Beyond any particular event, Prosecco gives the lineup an approachable sparkling wine without requiring the evening to become a seminar.

Tenuta Regaleali Nero d’Avola Sicilia DOC 2020

This Sicilian Nero d’Avola was described with earthy and toasted notes and suggested alongside grilled meats and smoky flavors. It is the darker, more savory direction in a lineup otherwise heavy on bright summer drinking.

The 2020 vintage is the bottle described here. Anyone shopping now should check the vintage and current producer notes rather than assuming a newer bottle is identical.

Villa Cerna Primocolle Chianti Classico 2020

Villa Cerna Primocolle Chianti Classico 2020 brought Tuscany into the mix. It was described with a fresh, aromatic profile and vivid red color, making it a flexible red for a meal rather than something that needs a special occasion invented around it.

Famiglia Cotarella Sodale Merlot Lazio IGP 2020

Famiglia Cotarella’s Sodale Merlot Lazio IGP 2020 was described as combining earthy tones with red fruit. Among these five wines, it offered another fuller red option for food at a late-summer dinner or backyard gathering.

Berlucchi ’61 Extra Brut NV

Berlucchi ’61 Extra Brut NV adds Franciacorta, Italy’s traditional-method sparkling wine from Lombardy. The Extra Brut gives the group a second sparkling choice with a different style from Prosecco.

Five wines, five fairly different directions, and thankfully no requirement that anyone describe a sunset as “golden” before opening one.