Old World
Italy wine
The most varietally diverse wine country on earth, with hundreds of indigenous grapes still in commercial production.
Overview
Italy grows wine in every one of its twenty regions. Its distinguishing feature is varietal diversity: while much of the world converged on a small set of French varieties, Italy kept hundreds of local grapes in commercial use, and many of its best wines are made from varieties grown almost nowhere else.
Italian labels mix approaches. Some name the place (Barolo, Chianti), some the grape (Barbera d’Asti names both), and some are effectively brands (Amarone). The quality pyramid runs DOCG, DOC, IGT and generic wine, though the tiers describe regulatory strictness rather than guaranteed quality.
Two structural features shape Italian reds: high acidity and firm tannin are common even in warm regions, and food is assumed. A great many Italian wines are built to be drunk with a meal rather than on their own.
A long peninsula reaching from Alpine foothills to Sicily, with altitude doing much of the work that latitude does elsewhere.
Regions
moderate · mediterranean
Abruzzo
A mountainous Adriatic region producing large volumes of soft Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.
mediterranean · moderate
Campania
Southern Italy’s most serious region for indigenous varieties, with Aglianico, Fiano and Greco all grown on volcanic soils.
continental · moderate
Emilia-Romagna
The home of Lambrusco, and a large region whose food culture is better known than its wine.
continental · moderate
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Italy’s benchmark region for structured, textural white wine, and the modern home of orange wine.
continental · moderate
Lombardy
Home of Franciacorta, Italy’s leading traditional-method sparkling wine, and of Alpine Nebbiolo in Valtellina.
moderate · maritime
Marche
An Adriatic region best known for Verdicchio, one of Italy’s most ageworthy white varieties.
continental · cool
Piedmont
Nebbiolo country in the foothills of the Alps, and the source of Barolo, Barbaresco and Italy’s most structured red wines.
mediterranean · hot
Puglia
The heel of Italy, and the source of ripe, soft, generous Primitivo and Negroamaro.
mediterranean · warm
Sardinia
An island with strong Spanish influence in its grapes, notably Cannonau (Grenache) and Vermentino.
mediterranean · hot
Sicily
A large Mediterranean island whose modern reputation rests on high-altitude Etna wines and on Nero d’Avola.
cool · continental
Trentino-Alto Adige
Alpine northern Italy, producing precise aromatic whites and light Alpine reds at altitude.
mediterranean · moderate
Tuscany
Sangiovese’s homeland, producing Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile, alongside the Bordeaux-blend "Super Tuscans".
moderate · continental
Umbria
Landlocked central Italy, home to the powerfully tannic Sagrantino di Montefalco.
continental · moderate
Veneto
Italy’s highest-volume quality wine region, producing Prosecco, Soave, Valpolicella and Amarone.
Wines
Grapes grown here
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Chardonnay
- Merlot
- Pinot Gris
- Pinot Noir
- Sangiovese
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Syrah
- Barbera
- Cabernet Franc
- Glera
- Grenache
- Nebbiolo
- Primitivo
- Aglianico
- Carmenère
- Corvina
- Fiano
- Garganega
- Gewürztraminer
- Montepulciano
- Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
- Nerello Mascalese
- Nero d’Avola
- Verdicchio
- Vermentino
- Arneis
- Carignan
- Carricante
- Catarratto
- Dolcetto
- Falanghina
- Frappato
- Friulano
- Grechetto
- Greco
- Grillo
- Lagrein
- Lambrusco Grasparossa
- Malvasia
Reading the label
Terms that appear on Italy labels, with the meaning they carry there specifically.
| Term | What it means | Legal status |
|---|---|---|
| Azienda Agricola | A farm making wine only from its own grapes. | legally defined |
| Brut Nature → Doux | The EU sparkling wine sweetness scale — in which Extra Dry is sweeter than Brut. | legally defined |
| Cantina | A winery or cellar. | not defined |
| Classico | The historic heartland of an appellation, usually the older and better part. | legally defined |
| Contains sulfites | A mandatory allergen declaration, not a warning about quality. | legally defined |
| DOC | Italy’s main appellation tier. | legally defined |
| DOCG | Italy’s top appellation tier, with stricter rules and official tasting approval. | legally defined |
| Gran Selezione | The top tier of Chianti Classico, introduced in 2013. | legally defined |
| IGT | A broader Italian category — and the home of some very expensive wines. | legally defined |
| Riserva | Longer ageing before release — but the requirement is set appellation by appellation. | varies by region |
| Secco / Amabile / Dolce | The Italian sweetness scale: dry, off-dry, sweet. | legally defined |
| Superiore | Usually a higher minimum alcohol, sometimes longer ageing. Not a quality guarantee. | varies by region |
| Tenuta | An estate or holding. | not defined |
Sources
Sources consulted
- Italian DOP and IGP wine register — Ministero dell’agricoltura, della sovranità alimentare e delle foreste (MASAF)
- eAmbrosia — the EU geographical indications register — European Commission