One of the great pleasures of travelling through Italy is discovering just how fiercely local its food culture remains. In an age of global brands and homogenised dining experiences, Italy continues to celebrate the particular rather than the universal. Ask an Italian where to find the best meal in town and they are far more likely to direct you to a family-run trattoria than a recognisable chain.
This commitment to locality extends beyond the food and into the glass. Across Italy, the vino della casa remains an integral part of everyday dining. To visitors, house wine can sometimes carry unfortunate associations of anonymity or low quality. In Italy, however, it often represents something very different: a wine chosen because it belongs to the area, suits the local cuisine and reflects the tastes of the people who live there.
This culture is possible because Italy's restaurant scene remains remarkably independent. Industry research suggests that independent operators account for more than 80% of Italian foodservice outlets, while chain restaurants remain significantly less prevalent than in many other developed markets. Even today, chains account for only around 10% of the Italian restaurant market by value, compared with far higher levels in countries such as the UK and the United States.
Local relationships still matter
The result is a dining culture where local relationships still matter. A restaurant in Verduno may serve pelaverga from a neighbouring grower. An osteria in Montepulciano may pour local sangiovese by the carafe. In Sicily, a family-run restaurant might buy nero d'Avola from a producer whose vineyard is visible from the terrace. These wines are often offered as the house wine not because they are the cheapest available, but because they are considered the most appropriate expression of local identity.
The concept reflects a broader Italian understanding of food and wine. Rather than seeking novelty at any cost, Italians have traditionally valued tried and tested quality. Local dishes evolved alongside local wines over centuries, each shaping the other. The rich ragùs of Emilia-Romagna naturally complement the region's sparkling lambrusco. The seafood of Marche pairs effortlessly with verdicchio grown along the nearby coast. In the hills around Naples, simple pizzas find their perfect partner in often volcanic layered reds and whites produced nearby (although some might still argue for an Italian lager as the perfect pizza match!).
This sense of regional pride (campanilismo) remains one of Italy's greatest strengths. The country is home to hundreds of indigenous grape varieties and more than 500 protected wine appellations, a level of diversity unmatched anywhere else in the world. Yet for many Italians, the greatest wines are not necessarily the most famous or expensive. They are the bottles that tell the story of home.
Italian summer wines
Shop the collection
The Society's Sicilian Reserve Red 2022
The Society's Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2024
The Society's Sicilian White 2025
Palladium Garganega, Veneto 2025
Bin #021 Marzaiola Lacrima di Morro d'Alba, Marche 2025
The Society's Prosecco
The Society's Pinot Grigio 2025
The Society's Verdicchio Classico 2025
The Society's Valpolicella Ripasso 2022
Baccolo Appassimento Rosso Veneto 2024
That is the spirit behind my most recent Italian wine selection. These are wines that could easily find themselves poured as the local favourite in a trattoria, agriturismo or family restaurant. They are authentic, characterful and rooted in the places from which they come. They remind us that some of the most satisfying wines are not those chosen for prestige, but those chosen because generations of local people simply love drinking them.
In Italy, that may be the highest recommendation of all.
>> Explore Sarah’s latest Italian wine selection
>> Read more on the joys of eating in Italy, Spain and Portugal
