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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    Franciacorta DOCG

    July 10, 2020 - By 

    Franciacorta DOCG: The appellation is located in the countryside just north of the city of Brescia  delimited to the east by the hills of Rodengo, Ome, Gussago and Cellatica, to the north by the southern shores of Lake Iseo and the Rhaetian Alps, to the west by the Oglio river and…

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    Curtefranca DOC

    July 10, 2020 - By 

    Curtefranca DOC:it is a DOC wine whose production is allowed in the province of Brescia.,The production area is the same as the Franciacorta DOCG  The name change was established by the consortium to avoid any confusion with the most prestigious and famous Franciacort.a. Curtefranca is produced in the following types…

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    Cellatica DOC

    July 10, 2020 - By 

    Cellatica DOC:The geographical area suitable for the production of Cellatica DOC wine extends over the hills of Brescia consisting of the offshoots of the mountains that go from Brescia and Colleberato to Franciacorta. The Cellatica Superiore DOC wine must be aged for about 12 months and, in any case, must…

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    Casteggio DOC

    July 10, 2020 - By 

    Casteggio DOC: Casteggio is a red DOC wine whose production is allowed in the province of Pavia. It has been recognized as DOC Previously it was considered a variety of the red Oltrepò Pavese. The production area is limited to the municipalities of Casteggio, Borgo Priolo, Corvino San Quirico, Montebello della…

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    Capriano del Colle DOC

    July 10, 2020 - By 

    Capriano del Colle DOC is a wine appellation from the province of Brescia. The denomination includes the following types: Capriano del Colle Trebbiano or even Capriano del Colle white; Capriano del Colle sparkling Trebbiano or even Capriano del Colle sparkling; Capriano del Colle red; Capriano del Colle novello red; Capriano…

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    Buttafuoco dell’Oltrepò Pavese / Buttafuoco DOC

    July 10, 2020 - By 

    Buttafuoco dell’Oltrepò Pavese / Buttafuoco DOC:is a red DOC wine prducted in Pavia. It is a vinification of the Croatina, also called Bonarda, Barbera, Uva Rara and Ughetta di Canneto vines, cultivated on the area of ​​the eastern Oltrepò Pavese. Organoleptic characteristics: color: lively ruby ​​red with violet reflections. Smell:…

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    Bonarda dell’Oltrepò Pavese DOC

    July 10, 2020 - By 

    Bonarda dell’Oltrepò Pavese DOC is a wine appellation whose production is allowed in the province of Pavia. The grape is the Croatina traditionally called Bonarda in the Oltrepò and Piacentino areas.  category: Cultivar, Maximum grape yield: 65.0%, Natural alcoholic strength of the grape: 10.5%, Minimum alcoholic strength of the wine:…

  • Pinerolese DOC appellation lies around the town of Torino - Italy
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    Pinerolese DOC

    July 7, 2020 - By 

    Pinerolese DOC is an appellation for red and rose’ wines. It can be produced in the countryside very close to Torino around a small town called Pinerolo and also in some communes in the Cuneo province. Grapes/Blend The wines have a very wide and interesting blend. The most important rule…

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    Piemonte DOC

    July 7, 2020 - By 

    Piemonte DOC is an important appellation and it takes the name of the whole region. There are no IGTs and, for this reason, it is pretty big and it allows white wines, red wines, rose’ and also sparkling wines.  We are working on this Piemonte DOC appellation description.Please come back…

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    Nizza DOCG

    July 7, 2020 - By 

    Nizza DOCG: This is a new appellation born around the town of Nizza, in the Monferrato area. It is made with 100% Barbera and it became a DOCG to highlithed the highest quality of the wines in the small area. We are working on this Nizza DOCG appellation description.Please come back…