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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    Campi Flegrei DOC

    Campi Flegrei DOC: This is an appellation for only white wines in the region of Campania. White Grape is Asprinio. Bianco (Wh): Minimum 85% Asprinio + OANWG; Spumante (WhSp): 100% Asprinio. The Minimum alcohol level is 10.5% for Bianco; 11.0% for Spumante We are working on this Campi Flegrei DOC…

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    Aversa DOC

    Aversa DOC: This is an appellation for only white wines in the region of Campania. White Grape is Asprinio. Bianco (Wh): Minimum 85% Asprinio + OANWG; Spumante (WhSp): 100% Asprinio. The Minimum alcohol level is  10.5% for Bianco; 11.0% for Spumante We are working on this Aversa DOC appellation description.Please…

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    Aglianico del Taburno DOCG

    Aglianico del Taburno DOCG: This is an appellation for only red wines in the region of CampaniaRed Grape Varieties: Aglianico. Rosato (Ro): Minimum 85% Aglianico + OARG;; Rosso (Rd): Minimum 85% Aglianico + OARG; Riserva (Rosso). The Minimum alcohol level is 12.0% for Rosato and Rosso; 13.0% for Riserva We are working…

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    Nardò DOC

    Nardò DOC: Red Grape Varieties: NegroamaroRosato (Ro): Minimum 80% Negroamaro; maximum 20% Malvasia Nera di Brindisi, Malvasia Nera di Lecce, and/or Montepulciano; Rosso (Rd): Minimum 80% Negroamaro; maximum 20% Malvasia Nera di Brindisi, Malvasia Nera di Lecce, and/or Montepulciano; Riserva (Rosso)The Minimum alcohol level is 11.5% for Rosato and Rosso; 12.5% for…

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    Moscato di Trani DOC

    Moscato di Trani DOC:  White Grape Varieties: MoscatoDolce Naturale (WhSw): Minimum 85% Moscato Bianco; maximum 15% other aromatic white grapes; Liquoroso (WhFoSw): Minimum 85% Moscato Bianco; maximum 15% other aromatic white grapes. The Minimum alcohol level is Approx. 10.0% for Dolce Naturale (12.5% potential); 16.0% for Liquoroso (18.0% potential) We are working…

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    Matino DOC

    Matino DOC: Red Grape is Negroamaro. Rosato (Ro): Minimum 70% Negroamaro; maximum 30% Malvasia Nera and/or Sangiovese; Rosso (Rd): Minimum 70% Negroamaro; maximum 30% Malvasia Nera and/or Sangiovese. The Minimum alcohol level is 11.5% We are working on this Matino DOC appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us an e-mail if you…

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    Martina / Martina Franca DOC

    Martina / Martina Franca DOC: White Grapes are Bianco di Alessano, VerdecaBianco (Wh): 50–65% Verdeca; 35–50% Bianco di Alessano; maximum 5% Bombino Bianco, Fiano, and/or Malvasia Toscana; Spumante (WhSp): 50–65% Verdeca; 35–50% Bianco di Alessano; maximum 5% Bombino Bianco, Fiano, and/or Malvasia Toscana. The Minimum alcohol level is 11.0% We are working…

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    Lizzano DOC

    Lizzano DOC:White Grape Varieties are Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Trebbianoand Red Grape Varieties are Malvasia Nera, Negroamaro. The Minimum alcohol level is 10.5% for Bianco; 11.5% for Rosato, Rosso, and Spumante; 12.0% for Malvasia Nera, Negroamaro, and Rosato Spumante; 13.0% for Superiore We are working on this Lizzano DOC appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us an…

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    Leverano DOC

    Leverano DOC: White Grape Varieties are Chardonnay, Fiano, Malvasiaand Red Grape is Negroamaro.The  Minimum alcohol level is 10.5% for Bianco and white varietals; 11.0% for Rosato, Negroamaro rosato, and Novello; 11.0% for Passito and Dolce Naturale (15.0% potential); 11.5% for Rosso; 12.0% for Negroamaro rosso; 12.5% for Superiore and Riserva We are working…

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    IGP Valle d’Itria

    IGP Valle d’Itria: White Grape Varieties are Asprinio, Bianco di Alessano, Bombino Bianco, Chardonnay, Cococciola, Falanghina, Fiano, Francavidda, Garganega, Gewürztraminer, Greco, Grillo, Impigno, Malvasia, Manzoni Bianco, Montonico Bianco,  Moscato,  Mostosa, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon,  Sylvaner Verde, Trebbiano, Verdeca, Verdicchio,  Vermentino, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico) and Red Grape Varieties…