AS A WINE lover, I came late to the Italian party. Schooled in the precepts of the noble grape varieties and the predominance of France, it wasn't until the late 90s that I was introduced to the startling array of styles and flavors found in this ancient, bucolic country.

I was a young wine merchant at the time, plying my trade in London. Having just left an establishment on St. James's Street that imported a great deal of Bordeaux for another in Belsize Park that had a preference for Italy, I was swiftly taught to direct our customers toward Chianti rather than Claret. More than a decade of tastings and numerous visits to Italy later, the country's wines still excite me, perhaps more than any other. Why so?