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 Arghillà

    IGP Arghillà: Red Grape Varieties are Aglianico, Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Castiglione, Gaglioppo, Greco Nero, Magliocco Canino, Malvasia Nera, Merlot, Nerello Cappuccio, Nerello Mascalese, Nero d’Avola (Calabrese), Nocera, Sangiovese.The Zone of production are Communes of Calanna, Campo Calabro, Fiumara, and Villa San Giovanni, and part of Reggio Calabria in the…

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    Greco di Bianco DOC

    Greco di Bianco DOC: White Grape is GrecoBianco Passito (WhSw): Minimum 95% Greco Bianco + OAWG. Yhe Minimum alcohol level is 14.0% (17.0% potential) We are working on this Greco di Bianco 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…

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    Cirò DOC

    Cirò DOC: White Grape is Greco and  Red is  GaglioppoBianco (Wh): Minimum 80% Greco Bianco + OAWG; Rosato (Ro): Minimum 80% Gaglioppo; maximum 20% OARG (maximum 10% Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and/or Sangiovese);Rosso (Rd): Minimum 80% Gaglioppo; maximum 20% OARG (maximum 10% Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and/or…

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    Bivongi DOC

    Bivongi DOC: White Grapes are Ansonica, Greco, Guardavalle, Malvasia, Montonico Bianco and  Red are Castiglione, Gaglioppo, Greco Nero, Nero d’Avola (Calabrese),  Nocera We are working on this Bivongi 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,…

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    Terra d’Otranto DOC

    Terra d’Otranto DOC: White Grapes are Chardonnay, Fiano, Malvasia, VerdecaRed Grapes are Aleatico, Malvasia Nera, Primitivo.The Minimum alcohol level is 11.5% for Bianco, white varietals, Spumante, and Rosato Spumante; 12.5% for Rosato, Rosso, Malvasia Nera, and Riserva; 13.0% for Aleatico (15.0% potential); 13.5% for Primitivo We are working on this Terra d’Otranto DOC appellation description.Please come…

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    Tavoliere delle Puglie / Tavoliere DOC

    Tavoliere delle Puglie / Tavoliere DOC: Red Grape Varieties: Uva di TroiaRosato (Ro): Minimum 65% Uva di Troia (locally Nero di Troia) + OANRG; Rosso (Rd): Minimum 65% Uva di Troia + OANRG; Nero di Troia (Rd): Minimum 90% Uva di Troia + OANRG; Riserva (Rosso, Nero di Troia). The Minimum alcohol…

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    Squinzano DOC

    Squinzano DOC: White Grapeìs are  Chardonnay, Fiano, Malvasia, Sauvignon BlancRed Grapes are Negroamaro, Susumaniello. The Minimum alcohol level is 11.0% for Bianco and white varietals; 11.5% for all spumanti; 12.0% for Rosato, Rosso, and red varietals; 12.5% for Riserva We are working on this Squinzano DOC appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us an e-mail if…

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    San Severo DOC

    San Severo DOC: White Grape Varieties are Bombino Bianco, Falanghina,  Malvasia,  Trebbiano and Red Grape Varieties are Merlot, Montepulciano,  Sangiovese, Uva di Troia. The Minimum alcohol level is 10.5% for Bombino Bianco tranquillo; 11.0% for Bianco, Bombino Bianco frizzante, Falanghina, Malvasia Bianca di Candia, Trebbiano Bianco, Rosato, Novello, and spumanti; 11.5% for rosato…

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    Salice Salentino DOC

    Salice Salentino DOC: White Grape Varieties areChardonnay, Fiano, Pinot BiancoRed Grape Varieties are Aleatico, Negroamaro. The Minimum alcohol level is 11.0% for Bianco and white varietals; 11.5% for Rosato and Negroamaro Rosato; 12.0% for Rosso and Negroamaro; 12.5% for Rosso Riserva and Negroamaro Riserva; 13.0% for Dolce (15.0% potential); 16.0% for Liquoroso Dolce (18.5%…

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    Rosso di Cerignola DOC

    Rosso di Cerignola DOC: Red Grape is Uva di TroiaRosso (Rd): Minimum 55% Uva di Troia; 15–30% Negroamaro; maximum 15% Barbera, Malbec, Montepulciano, Sangiovese, and/or Trebbiano Toscano; Riserva (Rosso)The Minimum alcohol level is 12.0% for Rosso; 13.0% for Riserva We are working on this Rosso di Cerignola DOC appellation description.Please come back soon.Send…