IGP Terrazze Retiche di Sondrio (pre-2017): The principal White Grape Varieties are Chardonnay, Cortese, Erbaluce, Friulano, Garganega, Gewürztraminer, Kerner, Malvasia, Moscato, Moscato Rosa, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Timorasso, Trebbiano, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico) and the Red Grape Varieties are Ancellotta, Barbera, Bonarda, Cabernet Franc, CabernetSauvignon, Carmenère, Corvina, Croatina,…
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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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…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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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;…
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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.…
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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…
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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…
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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%…