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-
Prosecco DOC
Prosecco DOC is one of the most famous Italian wine appellations in the world. This sparkling wine is popular everywhere, for its refreshing taste with aromas of apple and pear. Prosecco Doc is a very large appellation that centers in the province of Treviso and enlarge in most of the Veneto and in the Friuli Venezia Giulia. The grape used for this wine is Glera and it is produced tipically with the charmat method. However also an ancestrale method, called colfondo, is becoming more frequent. We are working on this Prosecco DOC appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us an e-mail if you are looking for more info at cheers@drinkitalian.com In…
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IGP Sebino
IGP Sebino is a wine appellation produced in the Province of Brescia. The principal White Grape varieties included in these wines are Chardonnay, Friulano, Garganega, Manzoni Bianco, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Trebbiano, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico).The principal Red Grape Varieties are Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Corvina, Croatina, Groppello, Marzemino, Merlot, Montepulciano, Nebbiolo, Pinot Nero, Rebo, Sangiovese, Schiava. Minimum alcohol level: 11.0% for Bianco, Rosso, and Rosso Novello; 11.5% for all varietals; 14.0% potential for Passito We are working on this IGP Sebino 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…
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IGP Sabbioneta
IGP Sabbioneta:Principal White are Chardonnay, Cortese, Garganega, Malvasia, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Trebbiano, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico) and  Red Grape Varieties are Ancellotta, Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Corvina, Fortana, Groppello, Lambrusco, Marzemino, Merlot, Molinara, Pinot Nero, Rondinella, Sangiovese The zone of production are Commessaggio, Sabbioneta, and Viadana in the province of Mantova Minimum alcohol level: 10.0% for all wines except 11.0% for Novello We are working on this IGP Sabbioneta 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…
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IGP Ronchi Varesini
IGP Ronchi Varesini: Principal White : FriulanoPrincipal Red : Barbera, Croatina, Merlot, Nebbiolo Zone of production:  province of Varese. Minimum alcohol level: 11.0% We are working on this IGP Ronchi Varesini 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 Piedmont.
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IGP Ronchi di Brescia
IGP Ronchi di Brescia: White are Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Riesling, Trebbiano. and Red Grape are: Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Marzemino, Merlot, Sangiovese, Schiava. The production is on the province of Brescia. Alcohol level is minimum 10.0% for frizzante versions of white varietals; 10.5% for Bianco, Trebbiano, Rosso, Barbera, and Schiava; 11.0% for all other varietals and Novello; 15.0% potential for Passito We are working on this IGP Ronchi di Brescia 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…
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IGP Quistello
IGP Quistello:Principal White Grape Varieties: Chardonnay, Cortese, Friulano, Garganega, Malvasia, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Trebbiano, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico)Principal Red Grape Varieties: Ancellotta, Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Corvina, Fortana, Groppello, Lambrusco, Marzemino, Merlot, Molinara, Pinot Nero, Rondinella, Sangiovese Zone of production: Quingentole, Quistello, San Giacomo delle Segnate, and San Giovanni del Dossoin the province of Mantova. Minimum alcohol level: 10.0% for all wines except 11.0% for Novello We are working on this IGP Quistello 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…
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IGP Provincia di Pavia
IGP Provincia di Pavia: Principal White Grape Varieties: Chardonnay, Cortese, Malvasia, Moscato, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Timorasso, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico) Principal Red Grape Varieties: Barbera, Bonarda, Cabernet Sauvignon, Croatina, Dolcetto, Freisa, Merlot, Nebbiolo, Pinot Nero, Syrah, Uva Rara, Vespolina Zone of production: Numerous communes in the province of Pavia Moscato cannot exceed 1.8 atmospheres of pressure. Minimum alcohol level: 9.0% for all wines except 4.5% for Moscato (9.0% potential), 11.0% for Novello, and 12.0% for Passito (15.0% potential) We are working on this IGP Provincia di Pavia 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…
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IGP Provincia di Mantova
IGP Provincia di Mantova: The White Grape Varieties are Chardonnay, Cortese, Garganega, Malvasia, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Trebbiano, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico) and the Red are Ancellotta, Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Corvina, Fortana, Groppello, Lambrusco, Marzemino, Merlot, Molinara, Pinot Nero, Rondinella, Sangiovese.The production is on the entire province of Mantova. The alcohol level are 9.5% for all wines except 11.0% for Novello, 12.0% potential for Passito We are working on this IGP Provincia di Mantova 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…
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IGP Montenetto di Brescia
IGP Montenetto di Brescia: The white varieties are Trebbiano Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Red Grape Varieties are Marzemino, Merlot, Sangiovese Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon. The production area is around Azzano Mella, Borgosatollo, Capriano del Colle, Castenedolo, Flero, and Poncarale in the province of Brescia. The minimum alcohol level are 10.5% for all frizzante wines; 10.5% for Bianco tranquillo, Rosso, and Sangiovese; 11.0% for Novello and for all still varietals except Sangiovese We are working on this IGP Montenetto di Brescia 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…
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IGP Collina del Milanese
IGP Collina del Milanese:The White Grape Varieties are Malvasia, Manzoni Bianco, Moscato, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Bianco,Chardonnay, Cortese,   Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Trebbiano, Sauvignon Blanc, Timorasso, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico) and the Red Grape Varieties are Cabernet Ancellotta, Barbera, Bonarda, Sauvignon, Croatina, Dolcetto , Cabernet Franc, Freisa, Merlot, Nebbiolo, Pinot Nero, Syrah, Uva Rara, Vespolina. The zone of production are San Colombano al Lambro in the province of Milano, Graffignana and Sant’ Angelo Lodigiano in the province of Lodi, and Inverno e Monteleone and Miradolo Terme in the province of Pavia. Minimum alcohol level are : 10.0% for Bianco and all frizzante wines; 10.5% for Rosato and Rosso; 11.0% for Novello; 11.0% potential for Passito…
