The Wines of Italy (new and revised edition)
Micèle Shah
Mitchell Beazley £9.99
An almost pocket sized book that is easy to carry with you on the trip. Each Italian wine regions gets a short introduction which is followed by a listing of the appellations and a selection of producers, all with a short description. Not a book to read from cover to cover but it will certainly help you get an initial understanding of Italy. Perhaps, as a travel companion, one would have wished for more detailed maps but that may be too much to ask for in such a small book on such a big region.