WINE
Learn about Italian Wines!
This page is an essential guide to Italian Wines and collects all the articles about wines, appellations, and grape varieties. Italian Wines are classified into 526 Denominations, spread in 20 regions: 75 DOCGs, 333 DOCs, and 118 IGPs. Everybody has heard of Barolo, Brunello, Chianti, and Amarone. If you are an intermediate taster, you may know about Cortese, Vermentino, Aglianico, maybe Orvieto, and Verdicchio.
But who knows about Vitoska, Vespolina, Biancolella, and Tintilia? You will, if you want, by reading this guide.
Facts and figures
-- The Italian wine scene is composed of about 310,000 farms, an average of 2 hectares cultivated per farm, and just over 45,000 wine-making companies -- AGEA (Agency for Agriculture Subsidy) data: in 2015, 76% of the wineries produced less than 100 hectoliters of wine per year, 17% between 101 and 1,000 hectoliters, 5% between 1,001 and 10,000 hectoliters, and 1% between 10,001 and 100,000 hectoliters -- This confirms the tendency towards fragmentation and the prevalence of small and medium-sized entities -- The vast majority comes from the larger companies: in 2015, 77.5% was produced by companies that vinified more than 10,001 hectoliters per year -- Three fundamental categories:Â Family-run wineries, widespread in the areas with the greatest winemaking traditions; Cooperatives, that cover 60% of wine production in Italy; Large estates and industries, historic Tuscan, Venetian, and Piedmontese wine families, grown considerably through acquisitions and mergersThe Essential Guide to Italian Wines
You will see the most recent articles on the top of the page. However, you can find the topic that you would like to learn about by:
--> using the search tool --> using the tags: they are by region, by type, and by grape variety-
IGP Lipuda
IGP Lipuda : White Grape are Ansonica, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Greco, Guardavalle, Guarnaccia, Malvasia, Manzoni Bianco, Montonico Bianco, Moscato, Pecorello, Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Trebbiano, Verdicchio, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico), ZibibboRed Grape are Aglianico, Alicante, Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Castiglione, Gaglioppo, Greco Nero, Magliocco Canino, Malvasia Nera, Merlot, Montepulciano, Nerello Cappuccio, Nerello Mascalese, Nero d’Avola (Calabrese), Nocera, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese, Syrah. Zone of production: Carfizzi, Casabona, Cirò, Cirò Marina, Crucoli, Melissa, Strangoli, and Umbriatico in the province of Crotone. TheMinimum alcohol level is 10.5% for Bianco and white varietals; 11.0% for all other wines We are working on this IGP Lipuda appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us an e-mail if you are looking for more info atcheers@drinkitalian.com In the meantime, if you are in the mood…
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IGP Costa Viola
IGP Costa Viola: Red Grapes are Aglianico, Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Castiglione, Gaglioppo, Greco Nero, Magliocco Canino, Malvasia Nera, Merlot, Nerello Cappuccio, Nerello Mascalese, Nero d’Avola (Calabrese), Nocera, Sangiovese. Zone of production are Bagnara Calabra, Palmi, Scilla, and Seminara in the province of Reggio Calabria. The Minimum alcohol level is 11.0% for Bianco and Rosato; 11.5% for Rosato Novello; 12.0% for Rosso and Rosso Novello We are working on this IGP Costa Viola appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us an e-mail if you are looking for more info atcheers@drinkitalian.com In the meantime, if you are in the mood for a good book, you can try:– The Modern History of Italian Wine by…
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Ansonica
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IGP Calabria
IGP Calabria: White Grape are Ansonica, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Greco, Guardavalle, Guarnaccia, Malvasia, Manzoni Bianco, Montonico Bianco, Moscato, Pecorello, Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Trebbiano, Verdicchio, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico), Zibibbo and Red Grape Varieties: are Aglianico, Alicante, Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Castiglione, Gaglioppo, Greco Nero, Magliocco Canino, Malvasia Nera, Merlot, Montepulciano, Nerello Cappuccio, Nerello Mascalese, Nero d’Avola (Calabrese), Nocera, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese, Syrah. Minimum alcohol level is 10.0% for Bianco frizzante; 10.5% for Bianco tranquillo, Rosato (tranquillo and frizzante), and Rosso frizzante; 11.0% for Rosso tranquillo, Novello, and all Spumante wines; 14.0% potential for Passito We are working on this IGP Calabria appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us an e-mail if you are looking for more info atcheers@drinkitalian.com In the meantime, if you are in the mood for a good book, you can try:– The Modern History…
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IGP ArghillÃ
IGP Arghillà : Red Grape Varieties are Aglianico, Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Castiglione, Gaglioppo, Greco Nero, Magliocco Canino, Malvasia Nera, Merlot, Nerello Cappuccio, Nerello Mascalese, Nero d’Avola (Calabrese), Nocera, Sangiovese.The Zone of production are Communes of Calanna, Campo Calabro, Fiumara, and Villa San Giovanni, and part of Reggio Calabria in the province of Reggio di Calabria. The Minimum alcohol level is 11.0% for Novello; 12.0% for Rosato and Rosso We are working on this IGP Arghillà appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us an e-mail if you are looking for more info atcheers@drinkitalian.com In the meantime, if you are in the mood for a good book, you can try:– The Modern History of…
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Greco di Bianco DOC
Greco di Bianco DOC: White Grape is GrecoBianco Passito (WhSw): Minimum 95% Greco Bianco + OAWG. Yhe Minimum alcohol level is 14.0% (17.0% potential) We are working on this Greco di Bianco DOC appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us an e-mail if you are looking for more info atcheers@drinkitalian.com In the meantime, if you are in the mood for a good book, you can try:– The Modern History of Italian Wine by Walter Filipputti– Hidden Gems of Italy: An Insider’s Secret Formula To Find Top-Class Italian Wines At Value Prices And Taste La Dolce Vita by Tony Margiotta Additionally, you can discover the other wines from Calabria.
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Cirò DOC
Cirò DOC: White Grape is Greco and  Red is GaglioppoBianco (Wh): Minimum 80% Greco Bianco + OAWG; Rosato (Ro): Minimum 80% Gaglioppo; maximum 20% OARG (maximum 10% Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and/or Sangiovese);Rosso (Rd): Minimum 80% Gaglioppo; maximum 20% OARG (maximum 10% Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and/or Sangiovese). The Minimum alcohol level is 11.0% for Bianco; 12.5% for Rosato and Rosso; 13.5% for Superiore Italian Region: Calabria Primary grapes cultivated: Greco Bianco (White), Gaglioppo (Red) Types of Wine Produced: Non-Varietal white wines of 80% minimum Greco- Varietal if over 85%, Rosato wines produced from a minimum of 80% Gaglioppo and 20% maximum of Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Merlot,…
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Bivongi DOC
Bivongi DOC: White Grapes are Ansonica, Greco, Guardavalle, Malvasia, Montonico Bianco and Red are Castiglione, Gaglioppo, Greco Nero, Nero d’Avola (Calabrese), Nocera We are working on this Bivongi DOC appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us an e-mail if you are looking for more info atcheers@drinkitalian.com In the meantime, if you are in the mood for a good book, you can try:– The Modern History of Italian Wine by Walter Filipputti– Hidden Gems of Italy: An Insider’s Secret Formula To Find Top-Class Italian Wines At Value Prices And Taste La Dolce Vita by Tony Margiotta Additionally, you can discover the other wines from Calabria.
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Terra d’Otranto DOC
Terra d’Otranto DOC: White Grapes are Chardonnay, Fiano, Malvasia, VerdecaRed Grapes are Aleatico, Malvasia Nera, Primitivo.The Minimum alcohol level is 11.5% for Bianco, white varietals, Spumante, and Rosato Spumante; 12.5% for Rosato, Rosso, Malvasia Nera, and Riserva; 13.0% for Aleatico (15.0% potential); 13.5% for Primitivo We are working on this Terra d’Otranto DOC appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us an e-mail if you are looking for more info atcheers@drinkitalian.com In the meantime, if you are in the mood for a good book, you can try:– The Modern History of Italian Wine by Walter Filipputti– Hidden Gems of Italy: An Insider’s Secret Formula To Find Top-Class Italian Wines At Value Prices And Taste La Dolce Vita by Tony Margiotta Additionally, you…
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Tavoliere delle Puglie / Tavoliere DOC
Tavoliere delle Puglie / Tavoliere DOC: Red Grape Varieties: Uva di TroiaRosato (Ro): Minimum 65% Uva di Troia (locally Nero di Troia) + OANRG; Rosso (Rd): Minimum 65% Uva di Troia + OANRG; Nero di Troia (Rd): Minimum 90% Uva di Troia + OANRG; Riserva (Rosso, Nero di Troia). The Minimum alcohol level: 11.5% for Rosato; 12.0% for Rosso; 12.5% for Rosso Riserva and Nero di Troia; 13.0% for Nero di Troia Riserva We are working on this Tavoliere delle Puglie / Tavoliere DOC appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us an e-mail if you are looking for more info atcheers@drinkitalian.com In the meantime, if you are in the mood for a good book,…
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Squinzano DOC
Squinzano DOC: White Grapeìs are Chardonnay, Fiano, Malvasia, Sauvignon BlancRed Grapes are Negroamaro, Susumaniello. The Minimum alcohol level is 11.0% for Bianco and white varietals; 11.5% for all spumanti; 12.0% for Rosato, Rosso, and red varietals; 12.5% for Riserva We are working on this Squinzano DOC appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us an e-mail if you are looking for more info atcheers@drinkitalian.com In the meantime, if you are in the mood for a good book, you can try:– The Modern History of Italian Wine by Walter Filipputti– Hidden Gems of Italy: An Insider’s Secret Formula To Find Top-Class Italian Wines At Value Prices And Taste La Dolce Vita by Tony Margiotta Additionally, you can discover the other wines from Puglia.
