Italian Reds Through the Years

Image: A private wine cellar in an Italian home

Italy never stops surprising. From north to south, east to west, its diversity is everywhere in the people, the dialects, the landscapes, the traditions, the food… and, of course, the wine. Understanding how a wine evolves in the bottle isn’t just for collectors, it’s a way for anyone who loves wine to experience it at its fullest.

As we’ve explored in our blog before, with over 600 officially recognized native varieties, the most of any country, Italy is a treasure trove for wine lovers. Add in countless local grapes that haven’t been formally registered, along with regional clones and family-grown vines passed down through generations, and the total easily exceeds 1,000. Each of these grapes tells a story, reflecting the land, climate, and traditions that shaped it.

Cavinona was founded to bring these unique Italian varieties to Ontario, and in this article, we’re taking the next step: exploring the ageing potential of Italian reds. 
Ageing is an added dimension, not a requirement. In the chart below, you’ll find the ageing potential of each variety. Every grape can, of course, exceed these ranges depending on the winemaking style, the region, the vintage, and the producer.

Image: Cavinona Reds Ageing Chart

These wines are some of the world’s most captivating, each with its own personality and structure, yet all of them are absolutely ready to enjoy today.

Take Schiava, for example: light, aromatic, and bright, best enjoyed in its youth for a fresh, easygoing character. Marzemino develops soft tannins with subtle spice and earthy notes over a few years, elegant and refined, reminiscent of a delicate Pinot Noir. Primitivo, bold and fruit-forward, captivates with jammy red fruit and warm alcohol, approachable immediately but able to evolve with time.

Schioppettino, a peppery and floral red, typically evolves over four to seven years, gaining earthy depth reminiscent of a medium-bodied Syrah, though it’s already expressive and fragrant today. Barbera, with its vibrant acidity and red-fruited brightness, can comfortably age three to eight years, yet its charm is fully present from the moment you pull the cork.

Further south, Negroamaro softens and gains earthy, spicy nuance over five to ten years; Croatina shifts from juicy to savoury over five to eight; and both Granaccia and Teroldego develop herbal and smoky layers through five to eight years, but each one is delicious and complete in its youth.

Nero d’Avola shows its best fruit and spice immediately, even as it deepens over five to eight years. Nocera, lively and aromatic when young, can take on earthiness across the same five- to eight-year span. Lagrein reveals cocoa and leather over five to ten years, though its dark-fruited richness is already compelling. And Piedirosso, gentle and perfumed, is perhaps best enjoyed now, even if it can gain subtle earthiness with a short rest.

Classics like Montepulciano develop plum, leather, and earthy depth over five to ten years, but most are crafted to drink beautifully upon release. Corvina, the backbone of Amarone, can evolve for five to fifteen years, yet its bright red fruit shows beautifully even young. Gaglioppo unfolds slowly over six to ten-plus years, while Nerello Mascalese’s volcanic finesse can deepen through seven to twelve years, though its mineral, lifted style is already enjoyable. Internationally, Nerello Mascalese is often compared to Pinot Noir for its colour, fine tannins, and aromatic precision, and to Syrah from cooler climates for its smoky, savoury, volcanic imprint.

Sangiovese, central to Chianti and Brunello, can mature gracefully for five to fifteen-plus years, yet even a young bottle offers vibrant fruit and savoury energy. Aglianico, famous for ageing ten to twenty-plus years, is now often vinified to be more approachable earlier; the same goes for Sagrantino.

Nebbiolo, Italy’s most transparent yet structured red grape, can evolve for ten to thirty years, while still delivering its signature rose, cherry, and spice from day one. In its most iconic expressions, Barolo shows power, tannic architecture, and long-term ageing potential thanks to its high tannins and acidity, whereas Barbaresco, made from the same grape just a few kilometres away, tends to offer gentler tannins, earlier approachability, and a silkier texture without losing complexity or longevity.

Image: Friends collecting memories in Barbaresco, Piemonte

Taste them young, taste them aged, and watch as their flavours unfold and transform over time, it’s a journey that never fails to captivate, we promise.
From a bright, lively Schiava to a 20-year-old Nebbiolo, the experience of discovering how a wine evolves is as rewarding as the wine itself. Some grape varieties naturally age longer than others, thanks to their structure: firm tannins, bright acidity, and concentrated fruit give them the backbone to mature gracefully over decades. Of course, also the vintage always influences how a wine develops, but that’s a story for another time. 

Meanwhile, our team is always here to help guide you toward the perfect bottle, whether you’re opening it tonight or saving it for years to come.

Find your favourites, plan your cellar, and savour the story each bottle tells. After all, the best wine isn’t just what’s in the glass, it’s the memories it helps create.

Discover our collection: Red Wines