(CNTraveler) - Looking for the next Chianti, Barolo, or Brunello? Oenophiles should plan a trip to one of these wine regions in Italy, chosen by experts as the next big thing.

Most wine tourists visiting Italy make a beeline for Tuscany, Piedmont, Veneto, or even Sicily, but these well-loved regions only scratch the surface of what Italy can offer when it comes to wine. The country has hundreds of wine regions, many flying completely under the radar and quietly producing amazing wines you've never heard of. We tapped Gabrielle Tacconi, the head winemaker at Tuscany’s iconic Ruffino Winery, and Jack Mason, wine director at New York’s acclaimed Marta restaurant, for their picks on the next Italian wine regions to visit—no matter where you are in the country.

NORTHERN ITALY

Rossese (Liguria): Both Tacconi and Mason are fans of the Rossese wine region at the foothills of the Ligurian Alps, some 1,600 feet above sea level. Its signature wine, Rossese di Dolceacqua, is a bit like a light red Burgundy, bursting with berries and herbs, but with fewer tannins, more salinity and minerality. “You’ll also find some fun wines coming from super old vines being made in fun, fresh styles by producer Bruna, and with more serious depth from producers like Dringenberg,” says Mason.

Carso (Friuli-Venezia Giulia): Sure, Friuli's known among wine connoisseurs; but Carso, tucked away in the region’s southeastern reaches near Slovenia, remains largely undiscovered. It's time to change that. Local producers are turning out some delicious medium- to full-bodied reds from the Terrano grape, a refreshing complement to Friuli's established stable of light, fruity whites. Carso’s white wines have an edge, too: “They're especially interesting because they undergo a long maceration, which is more typical for red wine than white,” says Tacconi. The result is more depth and complexity, and an especially beautiful texture.

Valtellina (Lombardia): With its vineyard-cloaked slopes overlooking the Adda River and the Alps, Valtellina has one of Lombardy’s most dramatic wine landscapes, rivaling that of Franciacorta. It’s also home to some of the most interesting and least-known reds wines in Italy: the light-bodied Rosso di Valtellina; the soft Chiavennascas made from the Nebbiolo grape; and an Amarone-style wine called Sforzato. “Valtellina turns out some super-undervalued reds that are as delicate and balanced as great Burgundy,” says Mason.

Teroldego Rotaliano (Trentino-Alto Adige): The Teroldego Rotaliano wine zone—tucked inside Campo Rotaliano, a lush, triangle-shaped plain in northern Trentino—is one of the least-explored corners of wine-rich Trentino. Which is a shame, because the region isn't just lovely; it produces exciting and unusual red wines that Tacconi says have “amazing, silky tannins; spice; intensely fruity aromas, and a fantastic, deep color.”