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:Â 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 mergersThe 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-
Valtènesi DOC (pre-2017)
Valtènesi DOC (pre-2017): Rosato wines are Chiaretto (Ro): Minimum 50% Groppello (Gentile and/or Mocasina) + OARG, red wine are Rosso (Rd): Minimum 50% Groppello + OARG and the Minimum alcohol level is 11.5% We are working on this Valtènesi DOC (pre-2017) 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, you can try:– The Modern History of Italian Wine by Walter Filipputti– Hidden Gems of Italy: An Insider’s Secret Formula To Find Top-Class Italian Wines At Value Prices And Taste La Dolce Vita by Tony Margiotta Additionally, you can discover the other wines from Lombardy.
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Valtellina Superiore DOCG
Valtellina Superiore DOCG: Red grape is Rosso (Rd): Minimum 90% Nebbiolo (locally Chiavennasca) + OANR – Riserva (Rosso) Territories are Grumello, Inferno, Maroggia, Sassella,Valgella and alcohol level: 12.0% We are working on this Valtellina Superiore DOCG 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, you can try:– The Modern History of Italian Wine by Walter Filipputti– Hidden Gems of Italy: An Insider’s Secret Formula To Find Top-Class Italian Wines At Value Prices And Taste La Dolce Vita by Tony Margiotta Additionally, you can discover the other wines from Lombardy.
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Valcalepio DOC
Valcalepio DOC is an appellation in the province of Bergamo, in Lombardy. It includes white wines, read wines, and also a Passito made with Moscato di Scanzo grape. History/Origin Viticulture in this area has been ongoing since the Roman Era. Pliny the Elder in fact talks about the wines from Bergamo in his works.The Consorzio Tutela Valcalepio was founded in 1976 by 22 members. Today, the consortium has 80 members. They have three denominations: Valcalepio DOC, Terre dei Colleoni DOC and the Bergamasco IGT Grapes/Blends Valcalepio Rosso DOC is made from Cabernet Sauvignon (25%- 60%) and Merlot (40%-75%).Valcalepio Rosso Riserva DOC is made from the same blend but the aging…
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Terre del Colleoni / Colleoni DOC
Terre del Colleoni / Colleoni DOC: Principal White Grape Varieties are Chardonnay, Manzoni Bianco, Moscato, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigioand Red Grape are Cabernet Sauvignon, Franconia, Marzemino, Merlot, Schiava. Alcohol level: 9.0% for Passito (16.0% potential); 11.0% for all other wines We are working on this Terre del Colleoni / Colleoni 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, you can try:– The Modern History of Italian Wine by Walter Filipputti– Hidden Gems of Italy: An Insider’s Secret Formula To Find Top-Class Italian Wines At Value Prices And Taste La Dolce Vita by Tony Margiotta Additionally, you can discover the other wines from Lombardy.
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Sforzato di Valtellina / Sfursat di Valtellina DOCG
Sforzato di Valtellina / Sfursat di Valtellina DOCG: is Rosso (Rd): Minimum 90% Nebbiolo (locally Chiavennasca) + OANRG. After harvest, grapes must be dried to achieve a minimum potential alcohol level of 14% and cannot normally be vinified until December 1 Minimum alcohol level: 14.0% and Aging: Minimum 20 months, including 12 months in barrel We are working on this Sforzato di Valtellina / Sfursat di Valtellina DOCG 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, you can try:– The Modern History of Italian Wine by Walter Filipputti– Hidden Gems of Italy: An Insider’s Secret Formula To…
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Moscato di Scanzo DOCG
Moscato di Scanzo DOCG is an appellation from Lombardy made from the red Moscato di Scanzo grape. It is usually vinified in the passito style. History/Origin Apparently it has been in the area since the 1300s. A red grape, it is thought to have arrived in the area thanks to the Romans. It makes sweet wines that are rich and filled with floral notes of roses and violets. There is a Consortium of wine producers from this region that was created in 1993, following on the heels of a previous association of producers that was created in the 1970s. The wine got its D.O.C. in 2002 and it’s D.O.C.G. status…
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Sangue di Giuda dell’Oltrepò Pavese / Sangue di Giuda DOC
Sangue di Giuda dell’Oltrepò Pavese / Sangue di Giuda DOC: Red Grape Varieties are: Barbera and Croatina. The Minimum alcohol level is 5.5% for Rosso tranquillo (12.0% potential); 7.0% for Rosso frizzante (12.0% potential); 9.0% for Spumante Dolce We are working on this Sangue di Giuda dell’Oltrepò Pavese / Sangue di Giuda 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, you can try:– The Modern History of Italian Wine by Walter Filipputti– Hidden Gems of Italy: An Insider’s Secret Formula To Find Top-Class Italian Wines At Value Prices And Taste La Dolce…
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San Martino della Battaglia DOC
San Martino della Battaglia DOC: The principal white grape is Friulano The variety Bianco (Wh) is Minimum 80% Friulano + OANWG and Liquoroso for dessert (WhFoSw) is Minimum 80% Friulano + OANWG can be made by fortification of juice, partially fermented must, or wine The Minimum alcohol level is 11.5% for Bianco and 15.0% (potential) for Liquoroso We are working on this San Martino della Battaglia 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, you can try:– The Modern History of Italian Wine by Walter Filipputti– Hidden Gems of Italy: An Insider’s…
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San Colombano al Lambro / San Colombano DOC
San Colombano al Lambro / San Colombano DOC: Principal White Grape Variety is Chardonnay and the Principal Red Grape Varieties are Barbera, Croatina, Pinot Nero. The Minimum alcohol level is11.0% for Bianco and Rosso; 12.0% for Bianco and Rosso with a vineyard name; 12.5% for Riserva We are working on this San Colombano al Lambro / San Colombano 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, you can try:– The Modern History of Italian Wine by Walter Filipputti– Hidden Gems of Italy: An Insider’s Secret Formula To Find Top-Class Italian Wines At Value Prices…
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Riviera del Garda Classico DOC
Riviera del Garda Classico DOC: The White Grape Varieties are Riesling, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico) and the principal Red Grape Varieties: Groppello The alcohol level is 11.0% for Bianco and Spumante Rosè; 11.5% for Chiaretto, Rosso, and Groppello; 12.0% for Superiore, Valtènesi Chiaretto, and Valtènesi Rosso We are working on this Riviera del Garda Classico 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, you can try:– The Modern History of Italian Wine by Walter Filipputti– Hidden Gems of Italy: An Insider’s Secret Formula To Find Top-Class Italian Wines At Value Prices And Taste La Dolce Vita by…
