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-
Tarquinia DOC
Tarquinia DOC: This is an appellation for only red wines in the region of Lazio. Red Grapes are Montepulciano, Sangiovese. Bianco (Wh, WhFr, WhSw): Minimum 50% Trebbiano Giallo and/or Trebbiano Toscano (locally Procanico); maximum 35% Malvasia (del Lazio and/or di Candia); maximum 30% OAWG (except Pinot Grigi; o)Rosato (Ro); Rosso (Rd, RdSw): Minimum 60% Montepulciano and Sangiovese (minimum 25% of each); maximum 25% Cesanese Comune; maximum 30% OARG; Novello (Rosso). The Minimum alcohol level: 10.5%, except 11.0% for Novello We are working on this Tarquinia 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…
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Tarquinia DOC
Tarquinia DOC: This is an appellation for only red wines in the region of Lazio. Red Grapes are Montepulciano, Sangiovese. Bianco (Wh, WhFr, WhSw): Minimum 50% Trebbiano Giallo and/or Trebbiano Toscano (locally Procanico); maximum 35% Malvasia (del Lazio and/or di Candia); maximum 30% OAWG (except Pinot Grigi; o)Rosato (Ro); Rosso (Rd, RdSw): Minimum 60% Montepulciano and Sangiovese (minimum 25% of each); maximum 25% Cesanese Comune; maximum 30% OARG; Novello (Rosso). The Minimum alcohol level: 10.5%, except 11.0% for Novello We are working on this Tarquinia 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…
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Roma DOC
Roma DOC: It is a very interesting appellation from Lazio producing red, white, rose’ and sparkling wines. White Grapes are Bellone, Bombino Bianco, Greco, Malvasia, Trebbiano. Red Grapes are Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cesanese, Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Syrah. The Minimum alcohol level is 11.0% for RomanellaSpumante; 11.5% for Rosato; 12.0% for Bianco secco and white varietals; 12.5% (potential) for Bianco amabile; 12.5% for Rosso secco; 13.0% (potential) for Rosso amabile; 13.0% for Riserva We are working on this Roma 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…
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Orvieto DOC
Orvieto DOC: This is an appellation for only white wines in the region of Lazio. White Grapes are Grechetto, Trebbiano. Bianco (Wh, WhSw): Minimum 60% Grechettoand/or Trebbiano Toscano (locally Procanico) + OAWG; Superiore (Bianco); Muffa Nobile (WhSw): Minimum 60% Grechettoand/or Trebbiano + OAWG; Vendemmia Tardiva (WhSw): Minimum 60% Grechettoand/or Trebbiano + OAWG. The Minimum alcohol level is 10.0% for Vendemmia Tardiva (13.0% potential); 10.5% for Muffa Nobile; 11.5% for Bianco; 12.0% for Superiore We are working on this Orvieto 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…
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Nettuno DOC
Nettuno DOC: It is an appellation from Lazio producing red, white, rose’, wines. White Grapes are Bellone, Trebbiano and Red Grape are Merlot, Sangiovese.; Bianco (Wh, WhFr): 30–70% Bellone (locally Cacchione); 30–50% Trebbiano Toscano; maximum 20% OAWG; Bellone or Cacchione (Wh, WhFr): 85% Bellone + OAG; Rosato (Ro, RoFr): Minimum 40% Sangiovese; minimum 40% Trebbiano; maximum 20% OAG; Rosso (Rd): 30–70% Merlot; 30–50% Sangiovese; maximum 20% OARG; Novello (Rosso). The Minimum alcohol level is 11.0% for Bianco; 11.5% for Bellone, Rosato, and Novello; 12.0% for Rosso We are working on this Nettuno DOC appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us an e-mail if you are looking for more info atcheers@drinkitalian.com In…
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Montecompatri-Colonna / Montecompatri / Colonna DOC
Montecompatri-Colonna / Montecompatri / Colonna DOC: This is an appellation for only white wines in the region of Lazio. White Grapes are Malvasia, Trebbiano. Bianco (Wh, WhSw, WhFrSw): Minimum 30% Trebbiano (Giallo, Toscano, or Verde); maximum 70% Malvasia (Bianca di Candia and/or del Lazio); maximum 10% Bellone and/or Bombino Bianco. Superiore (Bianco). The Minimum alcohol level is 11.0% for Bianco; 12.0% for Superiore We are working on this Montecompatri-Colonna / Montecompatri / Colonna 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…
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Marino DOC
Marino DOC: This is an appellation for only red/white wines in the region of Lazio. White Grapes are Bellone, Bombino Bianco, Greco, Malvasia, Verdicchio.; Bianco (Wh, WhSw, WhFr, WhFrSw): Minimum 50% Malvasia Bianca di Candia (locally Malvasia Rossa) + OANWG; Bellone (Wh): Minimum 85% Bellone + OANWG; Bombino (Wh): Minimum 85% Bombino Bianco + OANWG: Greco (Wh): Minimum 85% Greco + OANWG; Malvasia del Lazio (Wh): Minimum 85% Malvasia del Lazio + OANWG; Trebbiano Verde (Wh): Minimum 85% Verdicchio (locally Trebbiano Verde) + OANWG; Superiore (Bianco); Spumante (WhSp): Minimum 50% Malvasia Bianca di Candia + OANWG; Vendemmia Tardiva (WhSw): Minimum 50% Malvasia Bianca di Candia + OANWG; Passito (WhSw): Minimum…
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IGP Lazio
IGP Lazio: It is a very interesting appellation from Lazio producing red, white, rose’, dessert and sparkling wines. White Grapes are Bellone, Bombino Bianco, Chardonnay, Falanghina, Fiano, Friulano, Grechetto, Greco, Malvasia, Manzoni Bianco, Montonico Bianco, Mostosa, Passerina, Pecorino, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Trebbiano, Verdello, Verdicchio, Vermentino, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico).Red Grapes are Aglianico, Alicante, Barbera, Bombino Nero, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Canaiolo Nero, Carignano, Ciliegiolo, Grechetto Rosso, Greco Nero, Merlot, Montepulciano, Nero Buono, Petit Verdot, Pinot Nero, Primitivo, Sangiovese, Sciascinoso, Syrah. The Minimum alcohol level is 9.0% for Passito (16.0% potential); 10.0% for Spumante; 10.5% for Bianco, white varietals, Rosato, and rosato varietals; 11.0% for Rosso, red varietals, and Novello; 12.0% for Vendemmia Tardiva (15.0% potential) We are working on this IGP Lazio appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us an e-mail if you are looking for more info atcheers@drinkitalian.com In the meantime,…
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IGP Frusinate / del Frusinate
IGP Frusinate / del Frusinate: It is an appellation from Lazio producing red, white, rose’, and dessert wines. White Grapes are Bellone, Bombino Bianco, Chardonnay, Falanghina, Fiano, Friulano, Grechetto, Greco, Malvasia, Manzoni Bianco, Montonico Bianco, Moscato, Mostosa, Passerina, Pecorino, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Trebbiano, Verdello, Verdicchio, Vermentino, Vernaccia, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico) Red Grapes are Aglianico, Aleatico, Alicante, Barbera, Bombino Nero, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Canaiolo Nero, Carignano, Cesanese, Ciliegiolo, Grechetto Rosso, Greco Nero, Merlot, Montepulciano, Nero Buono, Petit Verdot, Pinot Nero, Primitivo, Sangiovese, Sciascinoso, Syrah. This appellation from Lazio lies close to the entire city of Frosinone. The Minimum alcohol level is 10.5% for Bianco, white varietals, Rosato, and rosato varietals; 11.0% for Rosso, red varietals, and Novello; 12.0% for Vino della Ciociaria; 16.0% potential for Passito We are working on this IGP Frusinate / del Frusinate appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us an…
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IGP Costa Etrusco Romana
IGP Costa Etrusco Romana: It is a appellation from Lazio producing red, white, rose’ wines. White Grapes are Chardonnay, Fiano, Malvasia, Vermentino and Red Grape are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Syrah.This appellation from Lazio lies close to Cerveteri, Fiumicino, Ladispoli, S. Marinella, and Tolfa in the province of Roma. The Minimum alcohol level is 11.5% for Bianco and white varietals; 12.0% for Rosso and red varietals We are working on this IGP Costa Etrusco Romana 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…
