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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    Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit DOCG

    Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit DOCG:White Grape is PicolitBianco (WhSw): Minimum 85% Picolit + OANWG; Bianco from subzone Cialla only (WhSw): 100% Picolit; Riserva (subzone Cialla only. The Minimum alcohol level is 15.0% (potential) for Bianco; 16.0% (potential) for Cialla and Cialla Riserva We are working on this Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit 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…

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    Carso / Carso-Kras DOC

    Carso / Carso-Kras DOC: White Grapes are Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer,  Glera, Malvasia, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Vitovska and  Red are Cabernet Franc,  Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Refosco, Terrano. The minimum alcohol level is 10.5% for Glera and Terrano; 11.0% for Terrano Riserva; 11.5% for all varietals except Glera and Terrano; 12.0% for all riservas except Terrano Riserva We are working on this Carso / Carso-Kras 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…

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    Terre dell’Alta Val d’Agri DOC

    Terre dell’Alta Val d’Agri DOC:Red Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot. Rosato (Ro): Minimum 50% Merlot; minimum 20% Cabernet Sauvignon; minimum 10% Malvasia Nera di Basilicata; maximum 20% OANRG. Rosso (Rd): Minimum 50% Merlot; minimum 30% Cabernet Sauvignon; maximum 20% OARG. Riserva (Rosso) Minimum alcohol level is 11.5% for Rosato; 12.0% for Rosso; 12.5% for Riserva We are working on this Terre dell’Alta Val d’Agri 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…

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    Matera DOC

    Matera DOC: White Grapee are Greco, Malvasia. Red are Cabernet Sauvignon,  Primitivo, Sangiovese Alcohol level: 11.0% for Bianco and Greco; 12.0% for Rosato, Rosso, Moro, and Spumante Rosé; 12.0% for Bianco Passito (13.0% potential); 12.5% for Spumante; 13.0% for Primitivo and Riserva; 13.0% for Primitivo Passito (14.5% potential) We are working on this Matera 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…

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    IGP Basilicata

    IGP Basilicata:White Grapes are Ansonica, Asprinio, Bombino Bianco, Chardonnay,  Cortese, Falanghina, Fiano, Garganega,  Gewürztraminer,  Greco, Malvasia, Manzoni Bianco, Moscato, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Trebbiano, VerdecaRed Grapes are Aglianico, Aleatico, Barbera, Bombino Nero, Cabernet Franc,  Cabernet Sauvignon, Ciliegiolo, Freisa, Greco Nero, Malvasia Nera, Merlot,  Montepulciano,  Nebbiolo, Negroamaro, Nero d’Avola (Calabrese), Pinot Nero, Primitivo, Refosco, Sangiovese, Syrah, Teroldego. Alcohol level is 10.5% for all white wines except Passito; 11.0% for all red and rosato wines except Passito; 12.0% for Bianco Passito (13.0% potential); 13.0% for Rosso Passito (14.5% potential) We are working on this IGP Basilicata 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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    Grottino di Roccanova DOC

    Grottino di Roccanova DOC: Red Grape is AglianicoSuperiore (Rd): 100% Aglianico. Riserva (Superiore). Minimum alcohol is 13.5% We are working on this Grottino di Roccanova 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 Basilicata

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    Aglianico del Vulture Superiore DOCG

    Aglianico del Vulture Superiore DOCG:Red Grape Varieties: AglianicoSuperiore (Rd): 100% Aglianic, Riserva (Superiore). The Minimum alcohol level is 13.5% We are working on this Aglianico del Vulture 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 Basilicata

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    Aglianico del Vulture DOC

    Aglianico del Vulture DOC: Red Grape is AglianicoRosso (Rd): 100% Aglianico. Spumante (RdSp): 100% Aglianico. Minimum alcohol is 12.5% We are working on this Aglianico del Vulture 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 Basilicata

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    Terre di Cosenza DOC

    Terre di Cosenza DOC: White Grapes are Chardonnay, Greco, Guarnaccia,  alvasia, Montonico Bianco, Moscato, Pecorello and Red are Aglianico, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gaglioppo, Greco Nero, Magliocco Canino, Merlot, Nero d’Avola (Calabrese), Sangiovese. The Production area is Colline del Crati (Bianco, Rosato, Rosso, Magliocco, Rosso Riserva, Magliocco Riserva, Bianco Vendemmia Tardiva, Rosso Vendemmia Tardiva, Passito Bianco, and Passito Rosso only)Condoleo (Bianco, Rosato, Rosso, Greco Nero, Novello, Rosso Riserva, Greco Nero Riserva, Bianco Vendemmia Tardiva, Rosso Vendemmia Tardiva, Passito Bianco, and Passito Rosso only)Donnici (Bianco, Rosato, Rosso, Magliocco, Novello, Rosso Riserva, Magliocco Riserva, Bianco Vendemmia Tardiva, Rosso Vendemmia Tardiva, Passito Bianco, and Passito Rosso only)Esaro (Bianco, Rosato, Rosso, Magliocco, Rosso Riserva, Magliocco Riserva, Bianco…

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    Scavigna DOC

    Scavigna DOC: White Grape is Gewürztraminer and red is AglianicoBianco (Wh): Maximum 50% Gewürztraminer (aka Traminer Aromatico); maximum 30% Chardonnay; maximum 10% Pinot Bianco; maximum 10% Welschriesling; maximum 45% OAWG; Rosato (Ro): Maximum 60% Aglianico; maximum 20% Magliocco; maximum 20% Marcigliana Nera; maximum 45% OARG; Rosso (Rd): Maximum 60% Aglianico; maximum 20% Magliocco; maximum 20% Marcigliana Nera; maximum 45% OARG. The Minimum alcohol level is  10.5% for Bianco; 11.0% for Rosato; 11.5% for Rosso We are working on this Scavigna 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…