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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    Aprilia DOC

    August 13, 2020 - By 

    Aprilia DOC: It is a very interesting apellation from Lazio producing red, white, rose’ wines.White Grape is Trebbiano and Red Grape Varieties are Merlot, Sangiovese. Bianco (Wh): Minimum 50% Trebbiano Toscano; 5–35% Chardonnay; maximum 15% OAWG; Rosato (Ro): Minimum 50% Sangiovese; 5–25% Cabernet Sauvignon; 5–25% Merlot; maximum 15% OARG; Rosso (Rd): Minimum…

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    Aleatico di Gradoli DOC

    August 13, 2020 - By 

    Aleatico di Gradoli DOC: This is an appellation for only red wines in the region of Lazio. Red Grape isAleatico. Rosso (RdSw): Minimum 95% Aleatico + OARG; Liquoroso (RdFoSw): Minimum 95% Aleatico + OARG; Passito (RdSw): Minimum 95% Aleatico + OARG. Riserva (Liquoroso). The Minimum alcohol level is 9.0% for…

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    Romagna DOC

    August 13, 2020 - By 

    Romagna DOC: It is a very interesting apellation from Emilia Romagna producing red, white, dessert, and sparkling wines. White Grapes are Albana, Bombino Bianco,  Trebbiano and Red Grapes are Sangiovese, Terrano.The Minimum alcohol level is 8.5% for Cagnina (11.5% potential); 10.5% for Trebbiano frizzante, Bianco Spumante, Trebbiano Spumante, and Rosato Spumante; 11.5% (potential)…

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    Romagna Albana DOCG

    August 13, 2020 - By 

    Romagna Albana DOCG: This is an appellation for only white wines in the region of Emilia Romagna. White Grape is Albana. The Minimum alcohol level is12.0% for Bianco secco; 12.5% (potential) for Bianco amabile and Bianco dolce; 17.0% (potential) for Passito; 24.0% (potential) for Passito Riserva We are working on this…

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    Reno DOC

    August 13, 2020 - By 

    Reno DOC: This is an appellation for only white wines in the region of Emilia Romagna. White Grapes are Albana, Grechetto, Montù, Trebbiano.The Minimum alcohol level is 10.5% for Bianco and Montuni; 11.0% for Spumante. We are working on this Reno DOC appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us an e-mail if you are…

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    Reggiano DOC

    August 13, 2020 - By 

    Reggiano DOC: This is an appellation for only red wines in the region of Emilia Romagna. The red Grapes are Ancellotta, Cabernet Franc, Fogarina, Lambrusco,  Malbo Gentile, Marzemino, Merlot, Sangiovese. The Minimum alcohol level is 5.5% for still versions of Rosso, Lambrusco, and Lambrusco Salamino (10.5% potential); 5.5% for Spumante and Lambrusco Spumante (11.0% potential); 7.0%…

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    Pignoletto DOC

    August 13, 2020 - By 

    Pignoletto DOC:  This is an appellation for only white wines in the region of Emilia Romagna. The White Grape is Grechetto. This appellation from Emilia Romagna lies close to the cities of Bologna and Modena. The Minimum alcohol level is 10.5% for non-subzone Bianco and Spumante; 11.0% for all subzone wines…

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    Ortrugo dei Colli Piacentini DOC

    August 13, 2020 - By 

    Ortrugo dei Colli Piacentini DOC: This is an appellation for only white wines in the region of Emilia Romagna. The White Grape is Ortrugo. The Minimum alcohol level is 11.0% We are working on this Ortrugo dei Colli Piacentini DOC appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us an e-mail if you…

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    Modena DOC

    August 12, 2020 - By 

    Modena DOC: It is a very interesting appellation from Emilia Romagna producing red, white, rose’, and sparkling wines.White Grapes are Grechetto, Montù, Trebbianoand Red Grape is Lambrusco. The Minimum alcohol level is 10.5% for Bianco, Rosato, Lambrusco Rosato, Rosso, and Lambrusco; 11.0% for Novello and all Spumante wines We are working on…

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    Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce DOC

    August 12, 2020 - By 

    Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce DOC: This is an appellation for only red wines in the region of Emilia Romagna. Red Grape is Lambrusco. The Minimum alcohol level is 110.5% for frizzante versions; 11.0% for Spumante We are working on this Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce DOC appellation description.Please come…