Newsflash! Italy has surpassed France in production of wine, according to Coldiretti, the organization of Italian farmers (Confederazione Nazionale Coltivatori Diretti). What does this mean to the traveler who loves wine? Cantine, where you may taste and purchase wines, are numerous and many more labels are exporting abroad.
Italian wines are classified at three levels: Denominazione di orgine controllata (DOC), which means the wines come from a particular geographic location and the grape variety is specified; Denominazione di orgine controllata e garantita (DOCG), generally more expensive, wines produced under stricter controls and the origin is guaranteed; and Indicazione geografica tipica, table wines characteristic of given areas.
Of the more than 500 types of wines produced in Italy (not counting your Uncle Giovanni’s garage vintage), 330 are classified as DOC, fifty as DOCG, and 110 as IGT. Tuscany and Piemonte produce the most DOCG-rated wines, but there’s hardly a square meter of Italy that doesn’t offer excellent local wines.
Quantity… and quality. Great news for Italian wine lovers the world over!
- Contributed by Sharri Whiting (www.sharriwhiting.com). Sharri writes about culture, food, wine and travel. She lectures about Mediterranean culture on cruises and writes a blog, UmbriaBella. She manages La Casetta Rosa (www.umbriabella.com), a vacation rental villa located in Umbria between Todi and Montefalco.
Thanks, Sharri, for your good note and yes, Italian wines are certainly taking stage – as are food products designated DOP “Denominazioni di origine protetta” (established in 1992 by the EU), ie, those foods with characteristics which depend on the area of production and know-how of local producers – here in Umbria, prosciutto di Norcia, pecorino umbro, black truffles, many olive oils, the spelt (farro) of Monteleone di Spoleto, lentils of Castelluccio are just a few Umbrian DOP products…………and great Italian Umbrian DOC wines enhance them all!!!
Grazie tante, Anne. While today’s note highlighted wines, there are many Italisn foods designated DOP, a category which protects the origin of such products as Parmesan cheese and other typically Italian commestibles. These product designations protect consumers, as well as the producers.
Brava Italia!
Hi Annie. I have enjoyed your notes, this time on Italian wines, as I do all your articles. Keep up the good work! Best wishes, Mrs. Harris
Dear Mrs. Harris,
Thank you for your nice comments. I am a relatively new contributor to Italian Notes and hope you will see other of my pieces in the future. Please take a look at my blog at umbriabella.blogspot.com.
Sincerely, Sharri
Whoops–, I should have said “thanks, Sharri” I was put off by the note from Anne Robichaud, who commented on your notes. Anne once taught for me when I directed an international school near Rome. She has gone on to write her own fine series on Italian life and events. Best wishes to all of you who appreciate and publish information about life in Italy! Katherine S. Harris
This sounds so typically Italian. DOC is guaranteed but DOCG is REALLY guaranteed. Anyway, I am a lover of Italian wines of all types. Thank you for the very informative article. And yes, I have even had the ‘Uncle Giovanni’s variety-always interesting.
I spent 21 years as a wholesale wine representative for Italian wines in the San Francisco area and Italy overtook French wine consumption more than 10 years ago. Italy also has more than 500 varietals of grapes with many being clones of others. Most people in the U.S. are familiar with about 12 grape varietals. Many Italians do not fare much better in knowing grapes varieties that are not grown in their area.
Until very recently Italian wines were not only of better quality than many French wines they were also better priced. That remains true in Italy today as I live near Lucca. There will always be the famous producers that are expensive, but California is shooting itself in the foot with overpriced and often times mediocre wines at high prices.