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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    IGP Castelfranco Emilia

    IGP Castelfranco Emilia: This is an appellation for onlywhite wines in the region of Emilia Romagna. White Grapes are Montù, Moscato, Trebbiano. The Minimum alcohol level is 1.0% for Mosto di Uve Parzialmente Fermentato (10.0% potential); 10.0% for frizzante wines; 10.5% for still wines We are working on this IGP Castelfranco Emilia appellation…

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    Gutturnio DOC

    Gutturnio DOC: This is an appellation for only red wines in the region of Emilia Romagna. Red Grape is BarberaWine Composition: Rosso (RdFr): 55–70% Barbera; 30–45% Croatina (locally Bonarda); Superiore (Rd): 55–70% Barbera; 30–45% Croatina;Riserva (Superiore) The Minimum alcohol level is 12.0% for Rosso; 12.5% for Superiore; 13.0% for Riserva…

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    Colli Romagna Centrale DOC

    Colli Romagna Centrale DOC: This is an appellation for only red and white wines in the region of  Emilia Romagna. White Grapes are  Bombino Bianco, Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon Blanc, Trebbiano. Red Grapes are Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Montepulciano, Sangiovese. Minimum alcohol level is 11.0% for Bianco; 11.5% for white varietals; 12.0% for Rosso, red varietals, and Chardonnay…

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    Colli di Scandiano e di Canossa DOC

    Colli di Scandiano e di Canossa DOC: It is an appellation from Emilia Romagna producing red, white,  sparkling and dessert wines. White Grapes are Chardonnay,  Malvasia, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Spergola. Red Grapes are  Cabernet Sauvignon, Lambrusco, Malbo Gentile, Marzemino. Minimum alcohol level: 5.5% for tranquillo versions of Bianco, Spergola, Lambrusco, and Lambrusco Grasparossa (10.5% potential); 5.5%…

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    Colli di Rimini DOC

    Colli di Rimini DOC: It is an apellation from Emilia Romagna producing red, white,  and dessert wines. Principal White Grape Varieties are Biancame,  Grechetto,  Mostosa, Trebbiano and Red are Cabernet Sauvignon,  Sangiovese. Alcohol level is 10.5% for Biancame; 11.0% for Bianco; 11.5% for Rosso, red varietals, and Rébola; 11.5% for Rébola Passito…

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    Colli di Parma DOC

    Colli di Parma DOC: It is an appellation from Emilia Romagna producing red, white,  and sparkling wines. White Grapes are Chardonnay, Malvasia, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Red Grape Varieties are Barbera, Bonarda, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Lambrusco, Merlot, Pinot Nero.Minimum alcohol level is 10.5% for Malvasia and Malvasia Spumante; 11.0% for Rosso and Lambrusco; 11.5% for Chardonnay,…

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    Colli di Faenza DOC

    Colli di Faenza DOC: It is a very interesting apellation from Emilia Romagna producing red, white wines. White Grapes are Chardonnay, Grechetto, Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon Blanc, Trebbiano and  Red are Ancellotta, Cabernet Sauvignon,  Ciliegiolo, Merlot, Sangiovese. The Minimum alcohol level is 11.0% for Bianco and Pinot Bianco; 11.0% for Trebbiano; 12.0% for Rosso, Sangiovese, and Riserva We are…

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    Colli d’Imola DOC

    Colli d’Imola DOC: This is an appellation for only red and white wines in the region of  Emilia Romagna. White Grapes areChardonnay, Trebbiano and Red are Barbera,  Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese. The Minimum alcohol level is 11.0% for Bianco, Trebbiano, and Novello; 11.5% for everything else We are working on this Colli d’Imola…

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    Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto DOCG

    Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto DOCG: This is an appellation for only white wines in the region of  Emilia Romagna. TheWhite Grape is  Grechetto. The  Minimum alcohol level is 11.0% for Frizzante and Spumante; 11.5% for Superiore; 12.0% for Superiore Classico We are working on this Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto DOCG appellation description.Please come…

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    Colli Bolognesi DOC

    Colli Bolognesi DOC: This is an appellation for only red and white wines in the region of  Emilia Romagna. White Grape Varieties are Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon Blanc, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico)Principal Red Grape Varieties are Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Nero. This appellation from Emilia Romagna lies close to the city of Bologna (Bianco, Rosso, Spumante, and Rosso…