In June of 1981, Kermit’s newsletter bore the headline, “Our First Direct Imports From Italy.” Featured inside were several pages of offerings from Tuscany and Piedmont, including a selection of young and old Chiantis and several Barolos which today would be considered rare collector’s items. Indeed, our early Italian imports focused primarily on wines made from Sangiovese and Nebbiolo, though Kermit did have a weakness for a good Dolcetto, about which he wrote, “There is something Beaujolais-like in its fruit and irresistible freshness, but it is a product of the Barolo region—a big, mouthfilling wine loaded with flavor and vinosity.”
     Fast-forward forty-two years, and our devotion to Italian wines has only grown. We continue to chase after fine, floral Nebbiolo and elegant, savory Sangiovese, and our penchant for glugging chilled Dolcetto by the liter has not faded one bit. But in the meantime, we have added additional Italian classics to our portfolio like dark, meaty Nero d’Avola from Riofavara in Sicily, lush, salty Vermentino from Sardinia’s Vigne Rada, and Fattoria Moretto’s exuberantly fizzy dry Lambrusco from Emilia.
     This mixed case sampler is a celebration of Italy’s wealth of great wines. You will find a ready-to-drink Barolo from Guido Porro and Sesti’s lovely Rosso di Montalcino, but also regional specialties like Liguria’s—and the world’s—only bottling of Mataòssu and Le Marche’s juicy, perfumed Lacrima. While we’d need a much larger sampler to showcase all of Italy’s thousands of indigenous grape varieties, here are a dozen that are sure to have you coming back for more, just as we did after that fateful first shipment in 1981.