With the holidays fast approaching, our party plate favorite is an Italian characuterie platter A.K.A the antipasto platter. Read on for our tips for building the ultimate Italian tagliere with plenty of wine pairing suggestions approved by our in-house Sommlady.

Curious how Italy tastes during the holidays? This is your cheat sheet to the unmissable holiday foods, traditions and markets in the regions our culinary wine experiences spend the most time in: Tuscany (where Florence is capital) and Emilia Romagna (where Bologna is capital). Plus some Italian fan favorites.

Curious how to navigate eating in Italy like a local? How to avoid tourist traps and social media gimmicks? We compiled Coral's do and don't tips to eating (and finding) homey Italian foods. Have any tricks to share? Read on and comment yours!