Italian wine names can periodically befuddle wine lovers. Even I need to slow-down-and-sound-it-out as soon as I come throughout new regional wine names that don’t just roll off the tongue.
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Take heart, learning just how to pronounce the a lot of common Italian wine names is pretty straightforward if you follow a few basic rules on Italian pronunciation. And just for fun, I’ve had audio tracks for the optimal 100 or so Italian wine names so you have the right to exercise. A budding Sommelier in training will certainly likewise discover these audio tracks beneficial.
Class time!Italian 101.
Let’s take a minute, obtain a small geeky and learn a pair of fundamental rules for pronouncing Italian wine names:
In Italian, you pronounce eextremely letter, and also eincredibly letter has actually exactly one sound. Well, there are a couple of exceptions (check out below).Unchoose English vowels which have 2 sounds (for example, long-A and short-A), there’s only one sound for Italian vowels:A makes the “ah” sound – choose the English short-AE makes the “ay” sound – favor the English long-AI provides the “ee” sound – choose the English long-EO provides the “oh” sound – prefer the English long-OU makes the “oo” sound – like the English long-UThe letters CH and also GH together make a “hard” sound:Tright here are no silent letters in Italian, but as soon as GL and GN are together, they make a unique sound:
Clear as mud?Practice provides perfect.
Okay, pop a cork and grab a glass of your favorite Italian wine and also let’s exercise speaking the a lot of prevalent Italian wine names. I’ve pulled together a list below and also offered audio tracks so you can hear me pronounce the name, and also I’ve had the phonetic spelling so you have the right to sound it out.
Keep in mind that the phonetic spelling I’ve offered is intended to make it straightforward to check out & pronounce for Americans. If you’re an professional in the Italian language or grammars and think a name should be pronounced in different ways, then share your wisdom! Add your referral to the Reply area at the bottom of this web page and also I’ll update the list. You may desire to bookmark this page for future reference.
Find Out more with Vino Italiano.
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Mega-restaurateur, Italian winemaker and author Joe Bastianch teamed up via Sommelier David Lynch to take a stab at documenting Italy’s finest wines, from the height of Italy to the bottom of the boot. Their indispensible reference Vino Italiano is at the optimal of my list of ideal books for wine lovers who want to learn around Italian wine.
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Ciao!— Michael
Pronunciation of Popular Italian Wine Names
A | ||
| Wine Name | Pronunciation | Type |
| Aglianico | ahl-YAH-nee-ko | Red |
| Aglianico del Taburno | ahl-YAH-nee-ko • del • tah-BOOR-no | Red |
| Aglianico del Vulture | ahl-YAH-nee-ko • del • VOOL-too-ray | Red |
| Amarone | ah-mah-ROH-nay | Red |
| Amarone della Valpolicella | ah-mah-ROH-nay • day-lah • val-po-lee-CHAY-lah | Red |
B | ||
| Wine Name | Pronunciation | Type |
| Barbaresco | bar-bah-RAY-sko | Red |
| Barbera | bar-BAY-rah | Red |
| Barbera d’Alba | bar-BAY-rah • DAHL-bah | Red |
| Barbera d’Asti | bar-BAY-rah • DAH-stee | Red |
| Bardolino | bar-do-LEE-no | Red |
| Bardolino Novello | bar-do-LEE-no • no-VAY-lo | Red |
| Bardolino Superiore | bar-do-LEE-no • soo-pay-ree-OR-ray | Red |
| Barolo | bah-ROH-lo | Red |
| Bolgheri | BOHL-gay-ree | Red |
| Brachetto | bra-KAY-toh | White |
| Brachetto d’Acqui | bra-KAY-toh • DAH-kwee | Red |
| Brunello | broo-NAY-lo | Red |
| Brunello di Montalcino | broo-NAY-lo • dee • mon-tall-CHEE-no | Red |
C | ||
| Wine Name | Pronunciation | Type |
| Cannonau | KAH-nohn-now | Red |
| Cannonau di Sardegna | KAH-nohn-now • dee • sahr-DAYN-yah | Red |
| Carmignano | kar-min-YAH-no | Red |
| Cerasuolo | chair-ah-SWOH-lo | Rosato |
| Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo | chair-ah-SWOH-lo • dah-BROOT-zo | Rosato |
| Cerasuolo di Vittoria | chair-ah-SWOH-lo • dee • vee-toh-ree-ah | Rosato |
| Cesanese | chay-sah-NAY-zay | Red |
| Cesanese del Piglio | chay-sah-NAY-zay • dayl • PEEL-yo | Red |
| Chianti Classico | kee-AHN-tee • KLAH-see-ko | Red |
| Cinque Terre | CHEEN-kmethod • TAY-ray | White |
| Ciro | CHEE-roh | Red |
| Cortese di Gavi | kor-TAY-zay • dee • GAH-vee | White |
D | ||
| Wine Name | Pronunciation | Type |
| Dolcetto | dohl-CHAY-toh | Red |
| Dolcetto di Dogliani | dohl-CHAY-toh • dee • dohl-YAH-nee | Red |
E | ||
| Wine Name | Pronunciation | Type |
| Erbaluce | air-bah-LOO-chay | White |
| Erbaluce di Caluso | air-bah-LOO-chay • dee • kah-LOO-zo | White |
| Etna Bianco | ATE-nah • bee-AHN-ko | White |
| Etna Rosso | ATE-nah • ROH-so | Red |
F | ||
| Wine Name | Pronunciation | Type |
| Falanghina | fah-lawn -GHEE-nah | White |
| Fiano di Avellino | fee-AH-no • dee • ah-vay-LEE-no | White |
| Franciacorta | frahn-chah-COR-tah | Sparkling |
| Frascati | frah-SKAH-tee | White |
| Frascati Superiore | frah-SKAH-tee • soo-pay-ree-OR-ray | White |
| Friulano | free-oo-LAH-no | White |
G | ||
| Wine Name | Pronunciation | Type |
| Gattinara | gah-tee-NAH-rah | Red |
| Gavi | GAH-vee | White |
| Greco di Tufo | GRAY-ko • dee • TOO-fo | White |
L | ||
| Wine Name | Pronunciation | Type |
| Lacryma Christi | lah-KREE-mah • KREE-stee | White |
| Lambrusco | lahm-BROO-sko | Red |
M | ||
| Wine Name | Pronunciation | Type |
| Malvasia | mahl-vah-ZEE-ah | Sweet |
| Montecucco | mon-tay-KOO-ko | Red |
| Montepulciano | mon-tay-pool-chee-AH-no | Red |
| Montepulciano d’Abruzzo | mon-tay-pool-chee-AH-no • dah-BROOT-zo | Red |
| Morellino di Scansano | moh-ray-LEE-no • dee • scahn-ZAH-no | Red |
| Moscato | moh-SKAH-toh | White |
| Moscato d’Asti | moh-SKAH-toh • DAH-stee | Sparkling |
| Moscato di Pantelleria | moh-SKAH-toh • dee • pan-tay-lay-REE-ah | Sweet |
N | ||
| Wine Name | Pronunciation | Type |
| Nebbiolo | nay-bee-OH-lo | Red |
| Nebbiolo d’Alba | nay-bee-OH-lo • DAHL-bah | Red |
| Negroamaro | nay-grow-ah-MAH-ro | Red |
O | ||
| Wine Name | Pronunciation | Type |
| Orvieto Classico | or-vee-AY-toh • KLAH-see-ko | Red |
P | ||
| Wine Name | Pronunciation | Type |
| Pigato | pee-GAH-toh | White |
| Pinot Nero | PEE-no • NAY-ro | White |
| Pinot Bianco | PEE-no • bee-AHN-ko | White |
| Pinot Grigio | PEE-no • GREE-jo | White |
| Primitivo | pree-mee-TEE-vo | Red |
| Prosecco | pro-SAY-ko | Sparkling |
| Prosecco Valdobbiadene | pro-SAY-ko • vahl-doh-bee-ah-DAY-nay | Sparkling |
R | ||
| Wine Name | Pronunciation | Type |
| Recioto di Soave | ray-CHEE-oh-toh • dee • so-AH-vay | White |
| Recioto di Valpolicella | ray-CHEE-oh-toh • dee • vahl-po-lee-CHAY-lah | Red |
| Roero Arneis | roh-AIR-roh • ar-NAYZ | White |
| Rosso Conero | ROH-so • ko-NAY-roh | Red |
| Rosso Piceno | ROH-so • pee-CHAY-no | Red |
| Rosso Salento | ROH-so • sah-LAYN-toh | Red |
S | ||
| Wine Name | Pronunciation | Type |
| Sagrantino | sah-grahn-TEE-no | Red |
| Sagrantino di Montefalco | sah-grahn-TEE-no • dee • mon-tee-FAHL-ko | Red |
| Salice Salentino | sah-LEE-chay • sah-len-TEE-no | Red |
| Sangiovese di Romagna | sahn-gee-oh-VAY-zay • dee • ro-MAHN-yah | Red |
| Sciacchetra | shah-kay-TRAH | Sweet |
| Soave | soo-AH-vay | White |
| Soave Superiore | soo-AH-vay • soo-pay-ree-OR-ray | White |
T | ||
| Wine Name | Pronunciation | Type |
| Taurasi | taow-RAH-zee | Red |
V | ||
| Wine Name | Pronunciation | Type |
| Valpolicella | val-po-lee-CHAY-lah | Red |
| Valpolicella Classico | val-po-lee-CHAY-lah • KLAH-see-ko | Red |
| Valpolicella Superiore | val-po-lee-CHAY-lah • soo-pay-ree-OR-ray | Red |
| Valtellina | val-tay-LEE-nah | Red |
| Valtellina Superiore | val-tay-LEE-nah • soo-pay-ree-OR-ray | Red |
| Verdicchio | vair-DEE-kee-oh | White |
| Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi | vair-DEE-kee-oh • day • kah-STAY-lee • dee • YAY-zee | White |
| Verdicchio di Matelica | vair-DEE-kee-oh • dee • mah-TAY-lee-kah | White |
| Vermentino | vair-men-TEE-no | White |
| Vermentino di Gallura | vair-men-TEE-no • dee • gah-LOO-rah | White |
| Vernaccia di San Gimignano | vair-NAH-chah • dee • san • jim-min-YAH-no | White |
| Vin Santo | veen • SAN-toh | Sweet |
| Vino Nobile | VEE-noh • NOH-bee-lay | Red |
| Vino Nobile di Montepulciano | VEE-noh • NOH-bee-lay • dee • mon-tay-pool-chee-AH-no | Red |
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