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

    Trentino DOC

    Trentino DOC:l White Grapes are Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Kerner, Manzoni Bianco, Moscato, Müller-Thurgau, Nosiola, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Sylvaner Verde, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico)andRed Grape Varieties are Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Lagrein, Lambrusco, Marzemino, Merlot, Moscato Rosa, Pinot Nero, Rebo, Schiava, Teroldego. Territories of production are Castel Beseno or Beseno (Moscato Giallo Superiore, Passito, and Vendemmia Tardiva only), Isera (Marzemino…

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    Teroldego Rotaliano DOC

    Teroldego Rotaliano DOC:Principal Red Grape Varieties: Teroldego- Rosato or Kretzer (Ro): 100% Teroldego, Rosso or Rubino (Rd): 100% Teroldego, Superiore (Rosso), Riserva (Superiore) The Minimum alcohol level is 11.5% for Rosato and Rosso; 12.0% for Superiore and Superiore Riserva We are working on this Teroldego Rotaliano DOC appellation description.Please come…

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    IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti / Weinberg Dolomiten

    IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti / Weinberg Dolomiten: It is an appellation of wines from the regions of Trentino and Veneto. White Grapes are Chardonnay, Friulano, Glera, Kerner, Malvasia, Manzoni Bianco, Moscato, Müller-Thurgau, Nosiola, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Sylvaner Verde and Red Grapes are Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet…

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    IGP Vallagarina

    IGP Vallagarina is an appellation divided in 2 regions: Veneto and Trentino. The principal White Grape Varieties are Bianchetta Trevigiana, Chardonnay, Cortese, Durella, Friulano, Garganega, Gewürztraminer, Kerner, Malvasia, Manzoni Bianco, Moscato, Müller-Thurgau, Nosiola, Pinot Bianco,  Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Sylvaner Verde, Trebbiano, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico) and the Red Grape…

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    IGP Mitterberg

    IGP Mitterberg:  The principal White Grape Varieties are  Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Kerner, Moscato, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Sylvaner Verde, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico)and the red  Red are Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon,  Carmenère,  Lagrein,  Malvasia Nera, Merlot, Moscato Rosa, Petit Verdot, Pinot Nero,  Schiava,  Syrah,  Teroldego. The zone of production is Entire province of Bolzano (Alto Adige) and the minimum…

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    Valtènesi DOC (pre-2017)

    Valtènesi DOC (pre-2017) is a wine appellation from the province of Brescia, Lombardy, next to the Garda Lake. 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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…