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

  • WINE

    Alezio DOC

    July 16, 2020 - By 

    Alezio DOC:Red Grape is NegroamaroRosato (Rd): Minimum 80% Negroamaro; maximum 20% Malvasia Nera, Sangiovese, and/or Montepulciano. Rosso (Rd): Minimum 80% Negroamaro; maximum 20% Malvasia Nera, Sangiovese, and/or Montepulciano. Riserva (Rosso) Minimum alcohol level is 12.0% for Rosato and Rosso; 12.5% for Riserva We are working on this Alezio DOC appellation…

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    Aleatico di Puglia DOC

    July 16, 2020 - By 

    Aleatico di Puglia DOC:Red Grape is AleaticoDolce Naturale (RdSw): Minimum 85% Aleatico; maximum 15% Malvasia Nera, Negroamaro, and/or Primitivo. Liquoroso (RdFoSw): Minimum 85% Aleatico; maximum 15% Malvasia Nera, Negroamaro, and/or Primitivo. Riserva (Dolce Naturale, Liquoroso) The Minimum alcohol level is 13.0% for Dolce Naturale (15.0% potential); 16.0% for Liquoroso (18.5%…

  • WINE

    Vernaccia di Oristano DOC

    July 15, 2020 - By 

    Vernaccia di Oristano DOC: White Grape is VernacciaBianco (Wh): 100% Vernaccia di Oristano, Liquoroso (WhFo, WhFoSw): 100% Vernaccia di Oristano, Superiore (Bianco), Riserva (Superiore) The Minimum alcohol level is 15.0% for Bianco; 15.5% for Superiore and Riserva; 16.5% for Liquoroso We are working on this Vernaccia di Oristano DOC appellation description.Please…

  • WINE

    Vermentino di Sardegna DOC

    July 15, 2020 - By 

    Vermentino di Sardegna DOC: White Grape is VermentinoBianco (Wh, WhFr, WhSw, WhFrSw): Minimum 85% Vermentino + OANWG, Spumante (WhSp): Minimum 85% Vermentino + OANWG, Minimum alcohol level: 10.0% for Spumante (11.0% potential); 10.5% for Bianco We are working on this Vermentino di Sardegna DOC appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us an…

  • WINE

    Vermentino di Gallura DOCG

    July 15, 2020 - By 

    Vermentino di Gallura DOCG:White Grape is VermentinoBianco (Wh, WhFr, WhSw, WhFrSw): Minimum 95% Vermentino + OANWG, Superiore (Bianco), Spumante (WhSp, WhSpSw): Minimum 95% Vermentino + OANWG, Vendemmia Tardiva (Wh, WhSw): Minimum 95% Vermentino + OANWG, Passito (Wh, WhSw): Minimum 95% Vermentino + OANWG. The Minimum alcohol level si 10.5% for Bianco frizzante…

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    Sardegna Semidano DOC

    July 15, 2020 - By 

    Sardegna Semidano DOC: White Grape is SemidanoBianco (Wh): Minimum 85% Semidano + OANWG, Superiore (Bianco), Spumante (WhSp, WhSpSw): Minimum 85% Semidano + OANWG, Passito (WhSw): Minimum 85% Semidano + OANWG Production area is Mogoro. The Minimum alcohol level: 11.0% for Bianco; 11.5% for Bianco from subzone Mogoro and Spumante; 13.0% for Superiore;…

  • WINE

    Nuragus di Cagliari DOC

    July 15, 2020 - By 

    Nuragus di Cagliari DOC: White Grape is NuragusBianco (Wh, WhFr, WhSw, WhFrSw): Minimum 85% Nuragus + OAWG. The Minimum alcohol level is 10.5% We are working on this Nuragus di Cagliari 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,…

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    Nasco di Cagliari DOC

    July 15, 2020 - By 

    Nasco di Cagliari DOC:White Grapes are Moscato, Nasco Bianco (Wh, WhSw): Minimum 95% Nasco + OAG, Liquoroso (WhFo, WhFoSw): Minimum 95% Nasco + OAG, Riserva (Liquoroso) The Minimum alcohol level is 13.5% potential for Bianco; 17.5% potential for Liquoroso and Riserva We are working on this Nasco di Cagliari DOC…

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    Moscato di Sardegna DOC

    July 15, 2020 - By 

    Moscato di Sardegna DOC:White Grape Varieties: MoscatoBianco (WhSw): Minimum 90% Moscato Bianco + OAWG, Spumante (WhSpSw): Minimum 90% Moscato Bianco; maximum 10% other aromatic white grapes, da Uve Stramature (Vendemmia Tardiva; WhSw): Minimum 90% Moscato Bianco + OAWG, Passito (WhSw): Minimum 90% Moscato Bianco + OAWG. Production: Gallura (Spumante only)and Tempio…