A Short

Guide to
Italian Wines

William L. Wilson
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 Italy’s Wine Laws
(And Why We Care About Them)

As Americans, we tend not to think too much about the laws that affect our wines. We buy a
wine because we enjoy it or want to try it. The laws that prescribe what can go into the bottle do not
cause us to think very much about them. Perhaps we are fortunate.

In Italy and many other wine producing countries, however, wine laws have a bit more of an
impact on the product. The laws establish controls that should, in theory, give us some indication as
to the quality of the wine in the bottle. At the same time, there are a few winemakers in Italy who
have decided to work outside the wine laws (which, oddly, is perfectly legal).

The Italian wine laws establish four “levels” of quality. The basic level is Vino da Tavola, or
literally “table wine.” In theory, this is your everyday drinking wine. If you think of the wine levels as
a pyramid, Vino da Tavola would be the ground level of the structure. And, like a pyramid, this level
has more wines in it than higher levels.

The next level is the Indicazione Geografica Tipica, or IGT. This would be the second level of the
pyramid. There are slightly fewer wines in this category.

The third level is where significant quality appears, the Denominazione di Origine Controllata, or
DOC. The wines in this category must be made from grapes within a specific DOC area. For
example, if a wine is labeled as a Chianti, all of the grapes must come from the Chianti region. In
addition, the DOC regulations dictate what kind of grapes must be used for the wine to carry the
DOC designation.

The fourth and final level is the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita, or DOCG. This
level is somewhat poorly named since it suggests a guarantee of quality. In fact, a DOCG wine is no
more guaranteed to be a great wine than any other bottle of wine. The DOCG wines, however, must
be made from grapes grown within the specific DOCG region, and like the DOC wines, only certain
grape varietals can be used.

So, what does all of this really mean? Most of the wines we will find in our wine shops are
DOC wines, made from grapes within a specific appellation. The Italian authorities have given some
of these appellations the DOCG designation based upon controls and, to some degree, merit.

Some winemakers have opted to work outside the Italian wine laws, finding them to be too
restrictive. In the second half of the twentieth century, Italian winemakers visited France and the
U.S. and found wines being made that defied conventional definitions. The Italians wanted to do this
as well, but couldn’t release the wines with the DOC or DOCG designation on the bottle. So, they
decided to not worry about it.

The most notable example of these wines is what we call Super Tuscans. Most wines made in
Tuscany must come from the Sangiovese or other native grapes. The renegade winemakers wanted
to make wines using the classic Bordeaux grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. So, they planted
these grapes and made them into stunning wines. Because they do not fall within the DOC or
DOCG definitions, they carry the humble designation IGT Toscana, but they command hefty prices.
 Now that we understand a little bit more about Italian wine laws, let’s move on to the good
stuff.

Italy’s Important Wine Regions

The Italians have been making wine for over 4,000 years. This predates the founding of
Athens in 1235 BC and even the beginnings of Judaism around 1200 BC. Humans began developing
the alphabet during this time and domesticated the horse. Italian wine making even predated the
reign of Hammurabi, the Babylonian king and law maker (1792-1745 BC) and Pharaoh
Tutankhamun (1334-1325 BC). (You might know him better as King Tut.) It’s little wonder that
Greeks called Italy “Oenotria”—the “land of wine.”

Generally, we divide Italy into four major regions and then subdivide each region further. The
four big regions are the Northwest, the Northeast, Central Italy, and South/Islands. We’ll explore
each region further and learn about the important appellations in each major region.

The Northwest
If you look at the map of Italy on the cover, you can see the regions that make up the
Northwest: Aosta Valley, Piedmont, Liguria, Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. Even though Emilia-
Romagna runs all the way to the east coast of Italy, it is probably included in this major region since
it stretches into Northwest Italy.

The most important appellation in this region is Piedmont. Home of Turin, the Piedmontese
produce some of Italy’s great wines. Piedmont has more DOC-DOCG regions than any other part
of Italy.

Within Piedmont are several DOCGs: Barolo, Barbaresco, Gattinara and Ghemme, which
grow the Nebbiolo grape. Another DOCG is Brachetto d’Acqui, which is a sweet and fragrant
sparkling red wine.

Besides the Nebbiolo and Brachetto grapes, Piedmont also grows Barbera (the most popular
red wine grape in Piedmont) and Dolcetto.

Among white wines, which make up roughly one-third of Piedmont’s production, the Asti
appellation dominates. This DOCG is given to both the sparkling Asti Spumante (which means
“foaming”) and the softer Moscato d’Asti. The other star is Gavi, recently added to the DOCG list,
which is a dry white wine made from the Cortese grape.
 The Northeast
The three wine regions of the Italian Northeast are often called the Tre Venezia given their
proximity to Venice. The regions themselves are Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Friuli-Venezia
Giulia. Of the three, Veneto is the most important.

Veneto is home to three DOCGs (Bardolino Superiore, Recioto di Soave and Soave Superiore)
and many DOCs, including the well-known Valpolicella.

Soave is the most popular of the Italian dry white wines, and ranks third after Chianti and Asti
in terms of production (more than 50 million liters per year). Valpolicella is made from a blend of
three grapes—Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara) and ranks fourth (more than 30 million liters
annually). Valpolicella is a great red wine to drink when it is relatively young.

One of Italy’s greatest red wines comes from Veneto: Amarone. This wine is always well
structured and complex, with great potential for aging. Amarones are not inexpensive, but they are
almost always delicious.
 Central Italy
Central Italy is the home of Tuscany, perhaps the most famous Italian wine region in the
world. Here you will also find Umbria, Marches, Latium, Abruzzi and Molise. In Tuscany there are
several DOCGs: Brunello di Montalcino, Carmignano, Chianti, Chianti Classico, Vernaccia di San
Gimignano, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

Chianti, of course, is made from the Sangiovese grape. While one can occasionally still find
Chiantis in straw-covered bulbous bottles, today’s Chiantis are real stars. A subregion, Chianti
Classico, is well known for producing some of the most enjoyable red wines Italy has to offer. Many
of the producers participate in a consortium with a black rooster on the logo. This is not, as some
think, a sign of extra quality. It is purely a marketing group.

In the 1970s, some winemakers began growing Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and blending
them with Sangiovese, producing the cult wines known as Super Tuscans. Some of the Super
Tuscans are made purely from Cabernet Sauvignon, such as Sassicaia. Others are blends including
Syrah and Pinot Nerot. Regardless of which grapes are in the wine, Super Tuscans continue to
demand a high price.
 South and Islands
Within this major region we can find the appellations of Campania, Apulia, Basilicata,
Calabria, Sicily and Sardinia. These regions produce quite a bit of wine, but most of it remains
unknown to the rest of the world’s wine drinkers. Of particular note are the Sicilian wines made
from the Nero d’Avola grape. These wines are rustic, flavorful, and tend to be great values. Sicily is
also the source for Marsala.

While the wines of the South and Islands of Italy are not well known, wine drinkers in the
know are watching these regions carefully as they appear to be catching up with their neighbors to
the north.
 Wines Worth Knowing

Piedmont

Barolo is a powerful, huge red wine. Some might argue it’s too powerful. Others bask in the
power and match this wine with rich game meats. Perhaps a little too powerful for the American
version of spaghetti and meatballs. This wine can definitely age—and probably should.

Barbaresco has many of the same qualities as Barolo, but is often a little softer and more
approachable. But never think of this wine as being wimpy.

Barbera is not to be confused with Barbaresco. This is a juicy, easy drinking red wine.

Dolcetto is Piedmont’s simplest red wine, but it’s far from uninteresting.

Gavi is Piedmont’s star white wine, dry and crisp, with citrus and mineral characteristics. You
can also buy a sparkling version of this wine, but most Piedmont sparkling wines are Astis.

Asti is a white wine that comes in a still and Spumante (foaming) version. Too much cheap Asti
Spumante came to the US, and it carries the reputation of a jug wine. But if you search for it, you
can find a real Asti Spumante that will present plenty of characteristics to sort through.

Moscato d’Asti is made from the white Moscato grape, and it is usually lightly sweet with
plenty of fruit. It is usually slightly fizzy, but not like a Spumante.

Veneto

Amarone is a massive red wine. Let this one age for a while.

Soave is a well-known white wine, light, fresh and easy drinking.

Valpolicella is a straightforward, velvety red wine. Enjoy with richer Italian cuisine. Note that
Valpolicella is made in a range of styles, from light and fruity to big and dense.

Tuscany

Chianti, a red wine, is the flagship wine of this region. Medium bodied, fruit-forward, a
perfect match for Italian food and pizza. Chianti Classico is a somewhat more complex wine, but
every bit as enjoyable. Chianti Classico Reserva is yet more complex, and probably too powerful for
spaghetti sauce-based meals, but it would be great with steaks on the grill.

Brunello di Montalcino may not be as popular as Chianti, but it is the wine that the Tuscans
are most proud of. This is a complex and elegant wine, with plenty of aging potential. This red will
almost always produce fond memories.
 Sicily

Marsala is a white wine that has been fortified, producing a sweet wine. It comes in three
colors: oro (gold), ambra (amber) and rubino (ruby), the latter of which is extremely rare and quite
expensive.

Nero d’Avola is not a wine per se, but is the red grape that produces Sicily’s red wines. They
tend to be genuine bargains and straightforward drinking wines. They match well with Italian cuisine
and grilled beef cuts.

More Resources

Karen MacNeil, The Wine Bible, Workman Publishing 2001.

Wine for Newbies, a free podcast. Visit www.winefornewbies.net. You can download this guide
from the site, with maps in color.

Wine appreciation courses at Indiana University South Bend. Visit www.iusb.edu/~cted/.