Italian Wine Legislation – Official Wine Regions
1. Classification System (D.P.R. 930/1963, revised)
| Designation | Level | Description | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| DOCG | Highest | Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita | 100% grapes from the area, numbered government seal, compulsory inspection |
| DOC | High | Denominazione di Origine Controllata | 100% grapes from a defined area, strict production rules |
| IGT | Intermediate | Indicazione Geografica Tipica | Min. 85% grapes from the region, greater flexibility |
| Vino da Tavola | Basic | Table wine | No geographical restriction |
2. The 20 Official Wine Regions (by administrative region)
| # | Wine region | DOCG / DOC | Well-known wines |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Piedmont | 19 DOCG, 41 DOC | Barolo, Barbaresco, Asti, Gavi, Moscato d'Asti |
| 2 | Veneto | 14 DOCG, 29 DOC | Amarone della Valpolicella, Prosecco, Soave, Valpolicella |
| 3 | Tuscany | 11 DOCG, 41 DOC | Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Classico, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano |
| 4 | Lombardy | 5 DOCG, 21 DOC | Franciacorta, Valtellina Superiore, Oltrepò Pavese |
| 5 | Marche | 5 DOCG, 15 DOC | Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, Rosso Conero, Offida |
| 6 | Friuli-Venezia Giulia | 4 DOCG, 12 DOC | Collio, Friuli Colli Orientali, Ramandolo |
| 7 | Apulia | 4 DOCG, 28 DOC | Primitivo di Manduria, Salice Salentino, Castel del Monte |
| 8 | Campania | 4 DOCG, 15 DOC | Taurasi, Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo |
| 9 | Abruzzo | 3 DOCG, 7 DOC | Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo |
| 10 | Lazio | 3 DOCG, 27 DOC | Frascati, Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone, Cesanese del Piglio |
| 11 | Emilia-Romagna | 2 DOCG, 19 DOC | Lambrusco, Romagna Albana, Sangiovese di Romagna |
| 12 | Umbria | 2 DOCG, 13 DOC | Montefalco Sagrantino, Torgiano Rosso Riserva, Orvieto |
| 13 | Sardinia | 1 DOCG, 17 DOC | Vermentino di Gallura, Cannonau di Sardegna, Carignano del Sulcis |
| 14 | Sicily | 1 DOCG, 23 DOC | Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Marsala, Etna, Nero d'Avola |
| 15 | Basilicata | 1 DOCG, 4 DOC | Aglianico del Vulture |
| 16 | Calabria | 1 DOCG, 9 DOC | Cirò, Greco di Bianco |
| 17 | Trentino-Alto Adige | 0 DOCG, 9 DOC | Alto Adige/Südtirol, Trento, Teroldego Rotaliano |
| 18 | Liguria | 0 DOCG, 8 DOC | Cinque Terre, Rossese di Dolceacqua, Riviera Ligure di Ponente |
| 19 | Molise | 0 DOCG, 4 DOC | Tintilia del Molise, Biferno |
| 20 | Aosta Valley | 0 DOCG, 1 DOC | Valle d'Aosta/Vallée d'Aoste |
DOCG requirement: a minimum of 10 years with DOC status before promotion, with a compulsory government seal on every bottle.
3. Examples of Important DOCG Wines
| DOCG wine | Region | Distinctive features |
|---|---|---|
| Barolo | Piedmont | First awarded DOCG status (1980), Nebbiolo, min. 38 months ageing |
| Barbaresco | Piedmont | First awarded DOCG status (1980), Nebbiolo, min. 26 months ageing |
| Brunello di Montalcino | Tuscany | First awarded DOCG status (1980), 100% Sangiovese, min. 5 years ageing |
| Chianti Classico | Tuscany | Historic heartland of Chianti, Gallo Nero symbol |
| Amarone della Valpolicella | Veneto | Dried grapes (appassimento), Corvina/Rondinella |
| Prosecco Superiore DOCG | Veneto | Conegliano Valdobbiadene, Glera grape |
| Franciacorta | Lombardy | Traditional method, sparkling wine |
| Taurasi | Campania | ‘Barolo of the South’, Aglianico grape |
| Vermentino di Gallura | Sardinia | Sardinia's only DOCG |
| Cerasuolo di Vittoria | Sicily | Sicily's only DOCG, Nero d'Avola/Frappato |
4. Principal Grape Varieties (500+ indigenous varieties)
| Grape variety | Type | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Sangiovese | Red (54,000 ha) | Most widely planted; the basis of Chianti and Brunello; cherry and herbs |
| Montepulciano | Red (27,000 ha) | Abruzzo/Marche; dark fruit and soft tannins |
| Glera | White (35,000 ha) | Prosecco grape; apple, pear and blossom |
| Trebbiano Toscano | White (25,000 ha) | Neutral white grape, also used for Vin Santo |
| Nero d'Avola | Red (16,000 ha) | Sicilian grape; ripe dark fruit and spices |
| Nebbiolo | Red (6,000 ha) | King of Piedmont; Barolo/Barbaresco; roses, tar and tannins |
| Barbera | Red (13,500 ha) | Piedmont; high acidity, plum and cherry |
| Primitivo | Red (10,000 ha) | Apulia; related to Zinfandel; ripe berries and full-bodied |
| Corvina | Red (8,000 ha) | Valpolicella/Amarone; cherry, spice and dried grapes |
| Pinot Grigio | White (28,000 ha) | North-eastern Italy; light, fresh wines with citrus notes |
| Aglianico | Red (7,500 ha) | Campania; powerful, dark, long-lived and tannic |
| Vermentino | White (9,000 ha) | Sardinia/Liguria; fresh and spicy, with citrus and stone fruit |
| Negroamaro | Red (8,500 ha) | Apulia; dark and bitter, used for Salice Salentino |
| Cannonau | Red (5,500 ha) | Sardinian Grenache; powerful, fruity and Mediterranean |
| Grillo | White (6,000 ha) | Sicily; traditionally used for Marsala, now also for dry wines |
Italy has more than 500 recognised indigenous grape varieties, the highest number of any country. Vineyard area: approx. 675,000 ha.