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:  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 mergers

The 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

  • WINE

    IGP Costa Toscana

    IGP Costa Toscana:It is an appellation from Tuscany producing red, white, rose’,sparkling wines. White Grapes are Albana, Albarola, Ansonica, Chardonnay,  Durella, Fiano,  Gewürztraminer,  Grechetto, Greco, Malvasia, Manzoni Bianco, Marsanne, Moscato, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Roussanne, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Trebbiano,  Verdello, Verdicchio, Vermentino, Vernaccia, Viognier, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico) Red Grapes are  Aleatico, Alicante, Ancellotta, Barbera, Barsaglina, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Canaiolo Nero, Cesanese, Gamay, Groppello, Malbec, Malvasia Nera, Merlot, Montepulciano, Nero d’Avola (Calabrese), Petit Verdot, Pinot Nero, Pugnitello, Rebo, Refosco,  Sagrantino, Sangiovese, Schiava, Syrah, Teroldego, Vermentino Nero. The Minimum alcohol level is 9.0% for Passito…

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    IGP Colli della Toscana Centrale

    IGP Colli della Toscana Centrale: It is an appellation from Tuscany producing red, white, rose’, wines. White Grapes are Chardonnay, Malvasia, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino, Vernaccia. Red Grapes are  Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Canaiolo Nero, Ciliegiolo, Gamay, Merlot, Pinot Nero, Sangiovese, Syrah. Minimum alcohol level: 9.5% for Bianco tranquillo; 10.0% for Bianco frizzante; 10.5% for Rosato and Rosso; 11.0% for Novello We are…

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    IGP Alta Valle della Greve

    IGP Alta Valle della Greve: It is an appellation from Tuscany producing red, white, rose’, wines. White Grapes are Albana, Albarola, Ansonica, Chardonnay, Durella,  Fiano, Grechetto, Greco,  Manzoni Bianco, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Roussanne, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Trebbiano, Verdello, Verdicchio, Vermentino, Vernaccia, Viognier, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico)Red Grapes are Alicante, Ancellotta, Barbera, Barsaglina, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Canaiolo Nero, Cesanese, Ciliegiolo, Groppello, Merlot, Montepulciano, Nero d’Avola (Calabrese), Petit Verdot, Pinot Nero, Pugnitello, Refosco, Sangiovese, Schiava, Syrah, Teroldego, Vermentino Nero. The Minimum alcohol level is 10.0% for Bianco and Rosato; 10.5% for…

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    Grance Senesi DOC

    Grance Senesi DOC: It is an appellation from Tuscany producing red, white, wines. White Grapes are Malvasia, Trebbiano. Red Grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Canaiolo. the  Minimum alcohol level is 11.0% for Bianco and Malvasia; 12.0% for Rosso; 12.5% for red varietals; 13.5% for Riserva; 15.0% potential for Vendemmia Tardiva (maximum 11.0% actual); 17.0% potential…

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    Elba DOC

    Elba DOC: It is a very interesting appellation from Tuscany producing red, white, rose’, dessert and sparkling wines.White Grapes are  Ansonica, Moscato, Trebbiano, VermentinoRed Grape is  Sangiovese. The Minimum alcohol level is  11.0% for Bianco, Trebbiano, and Rosato; 11.5% for Ansonica, Vermentino, Rosso, Sangiovese, and Spumante; 12.0% for Ansonica Passito (16.0% potential); 12.0% for…

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    Cortona DOC

    Cortona DOC: It is an apellation from Tuscany producing red, white, and dessert  wines.White Grapes are  Chardonnay, Grechetto, Malvasia, Sauvignon Blanc, Trebbiano. Red Grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Malvasia Nera, Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah. The Minimum alcohol level is  11.5% for white varietals; 12.0% for red varietals; 12.5% for Rosso and red varietal riservas; 14.5% for Vin Santo Riserva (17.0% potential);…

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    Colline Lucchesi DOC

    Colline Lucchesi DOC: It is an appellation from Tuscany producing red, white, and dessert  wines.White Grapes are Chardonnay, Grechetto, Greco, Malvasia, Sauvignon Blanc, Trebbiano, Vermentino. Red Grapes are Canaiolo Nero, Ciliegiolo, Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah.Minimum alcohol level is  10.5% for Bianco; 11.0% for white varietals and Rosso; 11.5% for red varietals and Rosso Riserva; 12.0% for Merlot Riserva and Sangiovese Riserva;…

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    Colli di Luni DOC

    Colli di Luni DOC: It is an appellation from Tuscany and Liguria producing red, white, wines.White Grapes are Albarola, Vermentino Red Grape is Sangiovese. Wine Composition: Bianco (Wh): Minimum 35% Vermentino; 25–40% Trebbiano; maximum 30% OAWG; Albarola (Wh): Minimum 85% Albarola + OAWG; Vermentino (Wh): Minimum 90% Vermentino + OAWG; Superiore (Vermentino);…

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    Colli dell’Etruria Centrale DOC

    Colli dell’Etruria Centrale DOC: This is an appellation for only red wines in the region of Tuscany. White Grape are :Malvasia, Trebbiano. Red Grape is Sangiovese.Wine Composition : Bianco (Wh): Minimum 50% Trebbiano Toscano + OAG (maximum 15% OARG); Rosato (Ro): Minimum 50% Sangiovese + OAG (maximum 25% OAWG); Rosso (Rd): Minimum…