Italy has a significant winemaking history with vineyards planted and wine consumed throughout the Roman Empire in the 1st Century BC. Tuscany became recognised for the greatest quality and the merchants of Florence were the first traders of the region's wines around 1079.
In 1282 the Arte dei Vinattieri guide was formed which established a code of practice for Italian winemaking. The DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Grarantita) classification system was founded much later, in 1963.
Tuscany posseses more vineyards of potentially brilliant quality than any other Italian province and is home to the acclaimed 'Super Tuscans'; Masseto, Ornellaia, Sassicaia, Solaia and Tignanello. The five super-brands have seduced value-seeking wine investors in the last decade.
Piedmont is seen as Italy's Burgundy, with much smaller production than the Super Tuscans. With vines first planted by Greek settlers in the foothills of the Alps bordering France and Switzerland, the top wines of this region command high prices and see strong growth.
The secondary market in Italian investment wines expanded significantly during 2018 - 2020 when there was a major market shift to Italy as investors sought value outside of Bordeaux and Burgundy. Exemption from US Tariffs imposed in 2020 boosted demand and growing value, a broadened market and increased levels of trade has firmly established the appeal of Italy's finest wines to investors.
