Italy is one big vineyard! With so many great choices, it can be quite overwhelming .  Italian 101 is here to help you with an overview of the basics and get you started on this wonderful Italian experience.


Italian Geography by Dr. Bob


The country is slightly smaller than California (157,000 sq. miles vs. 116,000), is literally one vast vineyard, stretching from Piedmont in the north to Sicily in the south.  Italy is divided into 20 wine-producing regions that are subdivided into almost 100 provinces.
Italy has approximately 2 million acres of planted vine-yards, which produced 1.5 billion gallons of wine in 2000, making it the world's largest wine producer. France is second with 1.4 billion gallons.  Italy is among the top wine consumers, with 13.0 gallons of wine per capita (2005). Italy is also the largest exporter of table wines into the United States. It is the world's largest producer of vermouth and the largest exporter into the United States and  is also the leading exporter of sparkling wines and the third largest exporter of fortified wines to the United States. Currently, there are more than 2,000 varieties of Italian wine, an output that no other country can come close to matching.

Wine Laws

DOC Laws
Currently 309 fall under this category

• On July 12, 1963, the president of the Republic of Italy, Antonio Segni, signed into law the Italian Wine Laws known as the Denominazione di Origine Controllata (or DOC laws), under Presidential Decree No. 930.
• The basic aim of the wine law was to protect the name of origin and the sources of musts (unfermented grape juice) and wines and to provide measures to prevent fraud and unfair competition.
• These very comprehensive laws cover just about every phase of grape cultivation and wine production and provide strict controls at every step of the process. The following are some of the aspects of wine production that are regulated under these laws:
  • Area of production
  • Type of soil
  • Location of vineyard
  • Type of grape variety used
  • Pruning and cultivation techniques
  • Allowable yields per acre (tonnage)
  • Allowable yield of juice per ton of grapes
  • Minimum sugar levels
  • Minimum acid and extract levels
  • Methods of vinification
  • Minimum aging requirements
• These laws are quite similar to those of France and Germany. One major exception is that the wines of Italy may not be chap-talized (sugar added to the must).
• Every wine awarded a DOC designation has a set of rules and regulations that apply solely to that wine. A Chianti wine might therefore have completely different rules for production than a Bardolino. As of 2006, there are 309 appellations that have been granted DOC and currently there are 32 wines that have DOCG status.

DOCG Laws
Currently 36 wines

• DOCG stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita; this designation is given to those wines that are considered to be of a higher quality than DOC wines and made under even stricter guidelines.
• Before a wine can apply for the DOCG designation, it must have been admitted to the DOC category for at least five years. The upgrading of DOC to DOCG does not occur automatically, but only when a certain number of producers of a given DOC wine apply for the designation. In fact, such a choice on the part of the producers can bring about serious economic consequences.
• DOCG wines must be sold in containers smaller than five liters in capacity and the container must bear a state seal guaranteeing origin and quality. This seal is applied on the bottle neck in such a way that it prevents removal of the wine from the bottle without breaking the seal.
• Like DOC wines, all DOCG wines must undergo viticultural and enological controls established by Italian law as well as by their respective production regulations. In addition, DOCG wines must be submitted for an organoleptic evaluation before bottling by a panel of experts appointed by Italy's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Each DOCG wine is tasted by a different panel composed of experts for that particular wine.
• All DOCG wines undergo obligatory production controls by agricultural inspectors at harvest time; the controls cover maximum yields, minimum natural alcohol content, and so on. They wines are inspected by fraud prevention authority representatives who examine their chemical, physical, and organoleptic characteristics.
• A wine that fails the tasting at the first attempt can be resubmitted, but if it flunks the second time, it is automaticaly declassified to Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT).
• On July 1, 1980, Brunello di Montalcino was the first wine to be granted the DOCG status. Since that time additional wines have been granted DOCG status. Eventually the guarantee is expected to apply to 30 or more wines. Applications for the status have been made and are pending for others.

Current listing of DOCG wines:

Piedmont Acqui or Brachetto d Acqui Asti Barbaresco Barolo Gattinara Gavi or Cortese di Gavi Ghemme Lombardy Franciacorta Sforzato di Valtellina or Sfursat di Valtellina Valtellina Superiore Veneto Bardolino Superiore Recioto di Soave Soave Superiore Friuli-Venezia Giulia Ramandolo Emilia-Romagna Albana di Romagna

Tuscany Brunello di Montalcino Carmignano Chianti Chianti Classico Vernaccia di San Gimignano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Umbria Montefalco Sagrantino Torgiano Riserva Marches Conero Vernaccia di Serrapetrona Abruzzi Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Colline Teramane Campania Fiano di Avellino Greco di Tufo Taurasi Sardinia Vermentino di Gallura

Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT)
(in-dee-cah-ZEE-oh-neh geh-oh-GRAF-ee-kah TEE-pee-kah)

The newest category of Italian wines (known as vino tipico until 1992), which is the equivalent to the French Vin de Pays and German Landwein, was approved on January 23, 1992 (Law No. 164). The term refers to a superior table wine, originating from a defined area and from specific grape varieties.  Regulations are less stringent than for DOC and will include many former Vino da Tavola wines. IGT wines are also new blends or made from grapes that grow outside of the DOC zone. Some examples are Tignanello, Monile, and Solia.

The new law basically defines a pyramid system of classifying wines on a scale of ascending levels of quality beginning with Vino da Tavola on the bottom, then followed by Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT), DOC, and DOCG on top.

Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) wines are typical of the large growing area in which the grapes are grown and wine made. However, IGT wines may not use names of zones or subzones used for DOC or DOCG wines. In addition, three years must pass before a vino da tavola wine can be transformed into an IGT wine.

Vino da Tavola

Vino da tavola wines can only be referred to as red or white, or a fantasy name may appear. In addition, vintage, grape variety, and "typical" geographical indication may not be used on the label.  However, wineries may use "non-typical" geographical designations on the label, referring to the names of viticultural estates, individually or in association with the name of a respective locality.

Generic, Varietal, and Proprietary Wines

Italy's wines are referred to as generic (named for the place of origin), varietal (named for the variety of grape from that they are made), and proprietary (producer named).  Soave is a generic wine, Pinot Grigio a varietal wine, and Rubizzo a proprietary wine.

Italian wine is typically named for the town, such as Barbaresco, Barolo, Chianti, Gavi, Orvieto, Soave, Frascati, and Carmignano.  Sometimes the vineyard is attached to the name such as: Barolo Cru Cannubi, Chianti Classico Riserva Fizzano.

Two wines that often cause confusion are Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, a generic wine, is named for the town of Montepulciano in Tuscany.  Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, a varietal wine, is named after the Montepulciano grape variety grown in Abruzzo as well as other regions.

Wine Terminology

• Abboccato: Semi-dry or semi-sweet
• Amabile: Semi-dry or semi-sweet
• Amaro: Bitter
• Annata: Year, as in "year of the vintage"
• Bianco: White
• Cantina: Wine Cellar
• Chiaretto: A lightly colored red wine
• Classico: A geographic term applied to DOC or DOCG non-sparkling wines and referring to the central or original area of a production zone.
• Consorzio: A consortium or group of growers or producers
• Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC): Italy's wine laws; translates as "controlled denomination of origin". The basic aim of the wine laws was to protect the name of origin and the sources of musts (unfermented grape juice) and wines, and to provide measures to prevent fraud and unfair competition.  These very comprehensive laws cover just about every phase of grape-growing and winemaking and provide strict controls at every step of the process. As of 2000, there are more than 300 wines that have been granted DOC status, which is only approximately 15 percent of the nation's production.
• Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG): This designation is given to those wines that are considered to be of a higher quality than DOC wines and made under even strict�er guidelines. The currently DOCG wines are:  Albana di Romagna, Asti (a spumante) and Moscato d Asti, Barbaresco, Bardolino Superiore, Barolo, Brachetto d Acqui, Brunello di Montalcino, Carmignano, Chianti, Chianti Classico, Franciacorta (spumante), Gattinara, Gavi, Ghemme, Grumello, Inferno,  Ramandolo, Recioto di Soave, Sagrantino di Montefalco, Sassella, Torgiano Rosso Riserva, Taurasi, Valgella, Vermentino di Gallura, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
• Dolce: Sweet
• Frizzante: Slightly effervescent
• Passito: Dried out, as in grapes
• Ripasso: A process used in Verona for some Valpolicella wine that has some similarity to the Tuscan governo. Immediately after the Valpolicella wine ferments, the juice is poured into barrels containing the wine-soaked skins and seeds from Amarone or Recioto wines.  These skins, which still contain some unfermented sugar, cause the wine to undergo a second alcoholic fermentation. This process increases the alcoholic content of the wine about 2 percent and gives the wine more structure, tannin, extract, glycerin, color, and bouquet.
• Riserva: A DOC or DOCG wine (generally red) with extra barrel-aging at the winery. The minimum number of months or years required is solely determined by the individual DOC or DOCG.
• Rosato: Ros
• Rosso: Red
• Secco: Dry
• Spumante: Sparkling, as in a sparkling wine
• Super Tuscan: A loosely defined term applied to wines that are made from grapes cultivated in the most prestigious vineyard sites.  The wines are aged in new barrels, often acquired solely for them alone. Although most producers use Sangiovese as their base blend, along with some Cabernet Sauvignon, there is no rule as to grape varieties, and many different ones are included.  Some of these super Tuscan wines have been described as "international inky monsters with ripe fruit and a vanilla oak nose; jammy palate with big, warm alcohol, and considerable amounts of soft extract".
• Superiore: A wine that contains a higher percentage (generally one half of one degree or more) of alcohol than the minimum regulation required under DOC or DOCG regulations. Under some laws, additional bottle aging is also a requirement for use of the term.
• Tenuta: Estate or farm
• Varietal Wine: When the grape variety is specified, the wine must contain at least 85% of the varietal.
• Vendemmia: Vintage, as in the year the grapes were harvested
• Vino da Tavola: Literally "table wine"

The countries regions and the major wines they produce
Abruzzo: Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and Trebbiano d'Abruzzo
Apulia: Castel del Monte, San Severo, Brindisi, and Salice Salentino
Basilicata: Aglianico del Vulture
Calabria: Ciro Rosso and Ciro Bianco
Campania: Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio, Falanghina, Greco di Tufo, Fiano di Avellino, and Taurasi
Emilia-Romagna: Lambrusco, Albana di Romagna, and Sangiovese di Romagna
Friuli-Venezia Giulia: Picolit, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tocai, Pinot Bianco, and Chardonnay
Latium: Frascati, Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone, and Marino
 Liguria: Dolceacqua and Cinqueterre
Lombardy: Valtellina Superiore (Sassella, Inferno, Valgella, Grumello,) Oltrepo' Pavese, Franciacorta, and Lugana
Marches: Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, Rosso Piceno, and Rosso Conero
Molise: Biferno
Piedmont: Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera, Asti (a spumante), Moscato d'Asti, Dolcetto, Gavi, Gattinara, Ghemme, Grignolino, Vermouth, Nebbiolo d'Alba, and Spanna.
Sardinia: Vernaccia, Vermentino, and Cannonau
Sicily: Marsala, Etna, Regaleali, Corvo, Segesta and Moscato di Pantelleria
Trentino-Alto Adige: Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Lago di Caldaro, Lagrein, Riesling, and Santa Maddalena
Tuscany: Chianti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Brunello di Montalcino, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Carmignano, Super-Tuscan
Umbria: Orvieto, Sagrantino di Montefalco, and Torgiano (Torre di Giano and Rubesco)
Valle D'aosta: Blanc de Morgex, and Passito di Chambave
Veneto: Valpolicella, Bardolino, Soave, Amarone della Valpolicella, Prosecco, Gambellara, and Bianco di Custoza

Grape Varieties:

Red Aglianico Barbera Canaiolo Corvina Dolcetto Grignolino Lagrein Lambrusco Molinara Montepulciano Nebbiolo Negroamaro Nero d Avola Prugnolo Gentile Rondinella Sagrantino Sangiovese Teroldego

White Albana Arneis Cortese Drupeggio Falanghina Fiano Garganega Grechetto Greco Malvasia Moscato Bianco Pinot Bianco Pinot Grigio Prosecco Tocai Trebbiano Verdicchio Vernaccia di San Gimignano

The Sounds of Italy

The Italian Alphabet consists of ONLY 21 letters.
The English letters (J, K, W, X, Y) are found only in words of foreign origin.

Italian Letters A CE CH CI E GIO I U ZZ

English Sound AH CH K CH EH JOE E OO TZ

Word Casa Cello, Valpolicella Chianti Citra Amaron Grigio Bianco Tubo Pizza

Prepositions DEL, DELLO, DELLA DEI, DEGLI, DELLE AL, ALLO, ALLA, AGLI, ALLE DI D'ALBA D'ASTI D'ABRUZZO

Translation Of The To The From From Alba From Asti From Abruzzo

Word Amarone della Valpolicella Rocca delle Macie Fonte Al Solea Brunello di Montalcino Barbera d'Alba Dolcetto d'Asti Montepulciano d'Abruzzo