Why Most Italian Wine Lovers Are Drinking the Wrong Wines

And how to discover the bottles Italians actually drink at home. The truth about authentic Italian wine—and why the best bottles are not the ones with the biggest names.

Walk into almost any wine shop in America and you'll see familiar labels: Chianti, Pinot Grigio, Prosecco, Montepulciano.

They're good wines. But here's a question that few people ask:

Are these the same wines that Italian families proudly open at Sunday lunch?

As an Italian winemaker born and raised near the Amalfi Coast, I can tell you that many are not.

Every year I return to Italy, not as a tourist, but as part of the winemaking team for the wineries we represent. I taste alongside the families who have been making wine for generations, discuss each vintage, review production, and help select the wines that eventually arrive here in the United States.

These are not wines chosen because they have the largest marketing budget.

They are chosen because they tell the true story of their land.

The Biggest Myth About Italian Wine

One of the comments I hear most often is:

"The best wines stay in Italy. America only gets what's left."

I understand why people think that. Large commercial brands often produce different wines for different markets, creating the impression that exports are somehow "second choice." But that's not how Above Wines works.

We are not buyers scrolling through a catalog looking for bottles to import. We are part of the winemaking process itself.

As a consulting winemaker, I work directly with the families behind each winery. We walk the vineyards together, taste from the tanks and barrels, analyze every vintage, and discuss which wines best represent that estate.

Because we are involved from the source, we don't receive "whatever is available."

We bring the wines that the wineries themselves are proud to serve at their own family tables.

Nothing is simplified for the American market. Nothing is chosen because it is easier to sell.

Every bottle represents the authentic identity of its territory.

More Than an Importer, A Cultural Project

Above Wines was never created simply to sell wine.

Our mission is much bigger. We are ambassadors of Italian culture.

Italy is home to more than 500 officially recognized native grape varieties, more than any other country in the world. Every region has its own history, traditions, climate, and native grapes that have evolved over centuries.

A volcanic Falanghina grown on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius tells a completely different story than a Vermentino shaped by the sea breezes of Sardinia. A Nerello Mascalese from Mount Etna has little in common with a Nebbiolo from Piedmont.

This incredible diversity is what makes Italian wine so fascinating. Our goal is to preserve it—not replace it with international styles or mass-produced wines. When we place a wine in your glass, we're bringing you a true representation of that region, its people, and its traditions.

Small Family Wineries Deserve a Voice

Many of the wineries we represent produce only a few thousand cases each year.

These are not multinational corporations.

They are family businesses where the owner is often the winemaker, the vineyard manager, and sometimes even the person greeting visitors at the cellar door.

Generation after generation, these families have cared for the same vineyards, preserving native grape varieties and traditional techniques that might otherwise disappear.

Most Americans will never encounter these wines in a supermarket or large retail chain.

That is exactly why Above Wines exists.

We build direct relationships with these wineries so their stories—and their wines—can reach people who appreciate authenticity. Before any wine joins our portfolio, I taste it personally.

As a winemaker, I also evaluate its laboratory analysis, production methods, balance, aging potential, and overall expression of its terroir.

If I wouldn't proudly pour it for my own family and closest friends, we don't sell it. It's that simple.

Buying Wine Should Feel Personal Again

Today it's easy to buy wine online.

What's difficult is knowing who selected it—and why.

Behind every bottle at Above Wines is:

• A family.

• A vineyard.

• A village.

• A tradition.

• A story.

When you order from Above Wines, you're not simply purchasing another bottle to place on your wine rack.

You're discovering the Italy that most visitors never experience.

You're supporting family-owned wineries instead of anonymous mass production.

And you're enjoying wines chosen by someone who was born, educated, and continues to work alongside the people who make them.

Experience the Real Italy

Whether you're searching for an everyday Italian white, an elegant red for dinner, or a native grape you've never heard of, our mission remains the same:

To bring the authentic taste of Italy directly to your table. Not the wines designed for international marketing. Not the wines with the biggest advertising budgets. But the wines that genuinely represent Italy's extraordinary regions, families, and traditions.

Because great wine is never just about what's inside the bottle. It's about the people, the land, and the culture behind every glass.

Try the Wine, 24hr Shipping:

Italian Essential Bundle - 6 Bottles

Salute,

Aldo Bove
Italian Winemaker & Founder, Above Wines

Invite us to your Party!

We'll Make it a great wine Experience!

If reading this made you think about your own gathering, even just a small dinner with friends, a birthday, a team night, or simply an excuse to bring people together, then I would genuinely love to hear from you.

There is no pressure with us. No obligation. No complicated process. Just a conversation.

We’ll talk about what you have in mind, the kind of atmosphere you want, the people you’re inviting, and we’ll build something around that. It can be as relaxed as friends sitting around a couch with pizza and wine, or as elegant as a multi-course dinner with full service. Most of the time, the best events are the ones that feel the most natural to you.

My team and I take care of everything, but more importantly, we make sure it feels like your evening, not a scripted event, not a performance, just something real, warm, and memorable.

So if you’re curious, even slightly, reach out.

We’ll be happy to chat, share ideas, and help you understand what’s possible.

And if it doesn’t feel like the right fit, that’s completely okay too. Wine should never feel forced.

But if it does come together, I can promise you one thing from my heart:

we will create something people will remember for a long time.

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OUR PRIVATE EXPERIENCES

Tonight, I’ll probably open something simple. Maybe from the south.
Something that reminds me why I started doing this in the first place.