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

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    Colli Etruschi Viterbesi / Tuscia DOC

    August 13, 2020 - By 

    Colli Etruschi Viterbesi / Tuscia DOC: It is a very interesting appellation from Lazio producing red, white, rose’, and dessert wines. White Grape Varieties: Grechetto, Moscato, TrebbianoPrincipal Red Grape Varieties: Canaiolo Nero, Grechetto Rosso, Merlot, Montepulciano, Sangiovese. The Minimum alcohol level is 10.0% for Bianco, Rosato, and Rosso; 11.0% for all varietals and Novello; 11.0% for Passito (15.5% potential)…

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    Circeo DOC

    August 13, 2020 - By 

    Circeo DOC: It is a very interesting appellation from Lazio producing red, white, rose’, and sparkling wines. White Grape is Trebbiano. Red Grape Varieties are Merlot, Sangiovese. Bianco (Wh, WhFr): Minimum 55% Trebbiano Toscano; maximum 30% Chardonnay; maximum 30% Malvasia; maximum 15% OAWG; Trebbiano (Wh): Minimum 85% Trebbiano + OAG;…

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    Cesanese di Olevano Romano / Olevano Romano DOC

    August 13, 2020 - By 

    Cesanese di Olevano Romano / Olevano Romano DOC: This is an appellation for only red wines in the region of Lazio.Red Grape is Cesanese. Rosso (Rd, RdSw, RdFrSw): Minimum 85% Cesanese (Comune and/or di Affile) + OARG; Superiore (Rosso);Riserva (Rosso). The Minimum alcohol level is 9.0% for Rosso dolce and…

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    Cesanese di Affile / Affile DOC

    August 13, 2020 - By 

    Cesanese di Affile / Affile DOC: This is an appellation for only red wines in the region of Lazio. Red Grape is Cesanese. Rosso (Rd, RdSw): Minimum 90% Cesanese di Affile + OARG. Riserva (Rosso) The Minimum alcohol level is 9.0% for Rosso dolce; 12.5% for Rosso secco; 13.0% for Riserva…

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    Cesanese del Piglio / Piglio DOCG

    August 13, 2020 - By 

    Cesanese del Piglio / Piglio DOCG: This is an appellation for only red wines in the region of Lazio. Red Grape is  Cesanese. Rosso (Rd): Minimum 90% Cesanese (Comune and/or di Affile) + OAG;Superiore (Rosso); Superiore Riserva (Rosso); The Minimum alcohol level is 12.0% for Rosso; 13.0% for Superiore; 14.0%…

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    Cerveteri DOC

    August 13, 2020 - By 

    Cerveteri DOC: It is a very interesting appellation from Lazio producing red, white, rose’ wines. White Grape isTrebbiano and Grapes are Montepulciano, Sangiovese. Bianco (Wh, WhFr, WhSw): Minimum 50% Trebbiano Toscano (locally Procanico); maximum 35% Malvasia; maximum 15% OAWG; Trebbiano (Wh): Minimum 85% Trebbiano + OAWG; Rosato (Ro, RoFr): Not specified…

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    Castelli Romani DOC

    August 13, 2020 - By 

    Castelli Romani DOC: It is a very interesting appellation from Lazio producing red, white, rose’ wines.White Grapes are Malvasia, Trebbiano and Red are Cesanese, Merlot,  Montepulciano,  Nero Buono, Sangiovese. Bianco (Wh, WhFr, WhSw): Minimum 70% Malvasia Bianca di Candia, Malvasia del Lazio (locally Malvasia Puntinata), and/or Trebbiano (di Soave, Giallo, or Toscano) +…

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    Cannellino di Frascati DOCG

    August 13, 2020 - By 

    Cannellino di Frascati DOCG: This is an appellation for only white wines in the region of Lazio. White Grape is Malvasia. Vendemmia Tardiva (WhSw): Minimum 70% Malvasia Bianca di Candia and/or Malvasia del Lazio (locally Malvasia Puntinata); maximum 30% Bellone, Bombino Bianco, Greco, and/or Trebbiano; maximum 15% OAWG; The Minimum…

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    Bianco Capena DOC

    August 13, 2020 - By 

    Bianco Capena DOC: This is an appellation for only white wines in the region of Lazio. White Grape Varieties are Malvasia, Trebbiano. Bianco (Wh): Minimum 25% Trebbiano; maximum 55% Malvasia; maximum 20% Bellone and/or Bombino Bianco; Superiore (Bianco). The Minimum alcohol level is 11.0% for Bianco; 12.0% for Superiore We are…

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    Atina DOC

    August 13, 2020 - By 

    Atina DOC:  It is a very interesting apellation from Lazio producing red, white wines. White Grape is Semillonand red Grapes are Cabernet Franc, Cabernet SauvignonSémillon (Wh): Minimum 85% Sémillon + OAWG; Rosso (Rd): Minimum 50% Cabernet Sauvignon; minimum 10% Cabernet Franc; minimum 10% Merlot; minimum 10% Syrah; maximum 20% OANRG; Cabernet (Rd):…