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

    Friuli Isonzo / Isonzo del Friuli DOC

    August 20, 2020 - By 

    Friuli Isonzo / Isonzo del Friuli DOC: White Grape are Chardonnay, Friulano, Gewürztraminer, Malvasia, Moscato, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Verduzzo, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico)Red Grape are Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Franconia, Merlot, Moscato Rosa,  Pignolo, Pinot Nero, Refosco, Schioppettino We are working on this Friuli Isonzo / Isonzo del Friuli DOC appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us an e-mail if you are looking for more info…

  • WINE

    Friuli Grave DOC

    August 20, 2020 - By 

    Friuli Grave DOC: White Grapes are  Chardonnay, Friulano,  Gewürztraminer,  Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Verduzzo and Red Grape are Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Merlot, Pinot Nero, Refosco. The Minimum alcohol level is 10.5%, except 11.0% for Novello and nonvarietal Spumante and 11.5% for Superiore We are working on this Friuli Grave DOC appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us…

  • WINE

    Friuli Colli Orientali DOC

    August 20, 2020 - By 

    Friuli Colli Orientali DOC: White Grapes are  Chardonnay, Friulano,  Gewürztraminer, Malvasia, Picolit, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Ribolla Gialla, Riesling,  Sauvignon Blanc, Verduzzo and Red Grape Varieties are Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pignolo, Pinot Nero, Refosco, Schioppettino, Tazzelenghe. The Minimum alcohol level: 11.0% for all non-subzone wines except Dolce and for Refosco di Faedis; 12.0% (potential) for Dolce; 12.0% for all Cialla and Rosazzo wines; 12.5% for…

  • WINE

    Friuli Aquileia DOC

    August 20, 2020 - By 

    Friuli Aquileia DOC: White Grape are Chardonnay, Friulano, Gewürztraminer,  Malvasia, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Verduzzo and Red are Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Refosco. The Minimum alcohol level(For Superiore, add 0.5% for each category except 1.0% for Friulano) is 10.5% for Bianco, Friulano, Malvasia, Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Rosato, Rosso, and red varietals; 11.0% for Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Bianco,…

  • WINE

    Friuli Annia DOC

    August 20, 2020 - By 

    Friuli Annia DOC: White Grapes are Chardonnay, Friulano, Gewürztraminer,  Malvasia, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, VerduzzoPrincipal Red Grape are Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Refosco. Minimum alcohol level is 10.5% for Bianco, Rosato, and Rosso; 11.0% for all varietals and Spumante; 13.0% for Riserva We are working on this Friuli Annia DOC appellation description.Please come back soon.Send us an…

  • WINE

    Friuli / Friuli Venezia Giulia DOC

    August 20, 2020 - By 

    Friuli / Friuli Venezia Giulia DOC:  White Grapes are Chardonnay, Friulano,  Gewürztraminer, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Ribolla Gialla, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Verduzzo and Red Grapes are Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon,  Carmenère, Merlot, Pinot Nero, Refosco. Minimum alcohol level is 10.5% for all still wines; 11.0% for all sparkling wines We are working on this Friuli / Friuli Venezia Giulia DOC appellation description.Please…

  • WINE

    Collio Goriziano / Collio DOC

    August 20, 2020 - By 

    Collio Goriziano / Collio DOC:  White Grapes are Chardonnay, Friulano,  Gewürztraminer, Malvasia, Müller-Thurgau, Picolit, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio,  Ribolla Gialla, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Welschriesling (Riesling Italico)Red Grape Varieties are Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Merlot,  Pinot Nero. The Minimum alcohol level is11.5%, except 14.0% (potential) for Picolit We are working on this Collio Goriziano / Collio DOC appellation description.Please come back soon.Send…

  • WINE

    Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit DOCG

    August 20, 2020 - By 

    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…

  • WINE

    Carso / Carso-Kras DOC

    August 20, 2020 - By 

    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…

  • WINE

    Terre dell’Alta Val d’Agri DOC

    August 20, 2020 - By 

    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;…