Dry January? Here are some tips on light wines for drinking in moderation but without deprivation

Low-alcohol wines are increasingly appreciated: smooth, fresh, in line with current tastes that favour drinkability over power. In Italy we produce many of them, often in mountain areas but not only there, and with decidedly interesting results.

One can only start with the undisputed king of moderate gradation: Lambrusco. Whether you team Grasparossa, Salamino or Sorbara matters little, as long as you choose quality. More and more producers are working with great care, offering gourmet, precise, modern wines. This is the right time to file away prejudices and let your curiosity guide you: vibrant acidity, freshness, an affordable price and a natural conviviality that few wines can offer. The Metodo Classico from Lambrusco is also worth a look: I have tasted some very dry and sharp ones, a new frontier of bubbles that knows how to surprise.

Remaining on the reds that are easy to drink, especially on the alcohol front, the wines from the Lake Garda area deserve attention: Groppello Valtènesi and Bardolino, authentic champions of delicate drinking (let's say).

In general, mountain wines focus on finesse and drinkability. The Marzemino from the Valle d'Isera or some Pinot Noir from Alto Adige are no exceptions; it is better to avoid the reserves in this case, which are more structured and demanding. The Valpolicella also offers excellent alternatives if you focus on the young versions, playing on freshness and fruit.

Still in the north, some Valtellina reds can work well despite the fact that Nebbiolo, even in its simplest interpretations, remains a wine of character with a tannic texture and austerity that make it more suitable for robust tables than for a minimalist January.

On the white wine front, the choice becomes easier. By tradition and production style, they lend themselves better to light cuisine and more casual consumption. The rule of altitude also applies here: wines that are more subtle, fresh, but anything but banal. In the Dolomites, I am thinking of a Nosiola or a Pinot Bianco; in northern Italy, a Lugana and certain young, elegant Soave wines immediately spring to mind. If you are looking for a light aromaticity, excellent Roero Arneis, but also certain Greco di Tufo di Irpini or Cococciola abruzzese, a grape variety that is still little talked about but very effective in terms of drinkability.

A look across the border: Austria and Germany have always been masters in producing great, low-alcohol whites. German Rieslings from the Rhine valley,Grüner Veltliner along the Danube, Sauvignon blanc from Styria. These are wines of precision, freshness and great personality.

Let's close with bubbles, the quintessence of agile drinking. If you opt for a Prosecco (preferably Docg), the alcohol content is generally lower than in Champagne and Metodo Classico. If moderation really is the goal, forget the vintage wines and stick to classic cuvées.

After all, it's not about stopping drinking, but about drinking better. And if January never seems to end, at least let the glass be light, fresh and well chosen. The rest, as always, is a matter of measure.