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 Colli di Salerno

    IGP Colli di Salerno: It is a very interesting apellation from Campania producing red, white, rose’, dessert wines.  White Grapes are Asprinio, Biancolella, Bombino Bianco, Coda di Volpe,  Falanghina, Fiano, Forastera, Greco, Malvasia, Montonico Bianco, Moscato, Trebbiano, Verdeca. Red Grapes are  Aglianico, Aleatico, Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cesanese, Malvasia Nera, Merlot, Montepulciano, Piedirosso, Primitivo, Sangiovese, Sciascinoso. This appellation from Campania lies close to the city of Salerno. The Minimum alcohol level is…

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    IGP Catalanesca del Monte Somma

    IGP Catalanesca del Monte Somma: This is an appellation for only white wines in the region of Campania. Bianco (Wh): Minimum 85% Catalanesca Bianca + OAG; Passito (WhSw): Minimum 85% Catalanesca Bianca + OAG. This appellation from Campania lies close to the city of Napoli. Alcohol level is Minimum 12.0%…

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    IGP Campania

    IGP Campania: It is a very interesting apellation from Campania producing red, white, rose’, dessert wines. White Grapes are Asprinio, Bellone, Biancolella, Bombino Bianco, Chardonnay,  Coda di Volpe, Falanghina, Fiano, Forastera, Gewürztraminer, Greco, Guarnaccia, Malvasia, Montonico Bianco, Moscato, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sylvaner Verde, Trebbiano, Verdeca,  Welschriesling (Riesling Italico). Red Grapes…

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    IGP Benevento / Beneventano

    IGP Benevento / Beneventano: It is a very interesting apellation from Campania producing red, white, rose’, dessert wines.White Grapes  Asprinio, Biancolella, Chardonnay, Coda di Volpe, Falanghina, Fiano, Forastera, Greco, Malvasia, Moscato, Trebbiano, Verdeca. Red Grape Varieties are Aglianico, Aleatico, Cabernet Sauvignon, Lambrusco, Merlot, Montepulciano,  Piedirosso, Primitivo, Sangiovese, Sciascinoso, Uva di Troia.This appellation from Campania lies close to the city of Benevento. Minimum alcohol level is 10.0% for Bianco and white…

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    Greco di Tufo DOCG

    Greco di Tufo DOCG: This is an appellation for only white wines in the region of Campania. White Grape Varieties: Greco. Bianco (Wh): Minimum 85% Greco; maximum 15% Coda di Volpe; Spumante (WhSp): Minimum 85% Greco; maximum 15% Coda di Volpe. The Minimum alcohol level is  11.5% for Bianco; 12.0%…

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    Cilento DOC Wine Guide: Hidden Gems from Campania’s Coast

    What Is Cilento DOC? Cilento DOC is a distinctive wine appellation in southern Campania, Italy—covering red, white, rosé, and varietal Aglianico and Fiano wines. This coastal-hill region within Salerno features Mediterranean climate and complex soils, offering elegant yet approachable Campania wine experiences with aging potential, minerality, and expressive local character.…

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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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    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…