Italy wine laws

Question 1

Italy Wine laws

Answer 1

Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC)

Question 2

Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC)

Answer 2

• system was introduced in 1963 as a means of formalizing and protecting Italian wine appellations
• established maximum yields, approved varieties and viticultural practices
• set geographical boundaries, and authorized vinification techniques, styles, and minimum (or maximum) alcohol levels for each DOC wine

Question 3

Italian Wine Classifications

Answer 3

• Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) / Denominazione di Origine Protetta (DOP)
• Donominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) / Denominazione di Origine Protetta (DOP)
• Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) / Indicazione Geografica Protetta (IGP)
• Vino (formerly Vino da Tavola)

Question 4

Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG)

Answer 4

• a more prestigious and—theoretically—higher quality designation designed to represent the best of Italian wine
• first DOCG was not awarded until 1980
• Most DOCGs (and many DOCs) stipulate minimum aging requirements for the wines

Question 5

Vino (formerly Vino da Tavola)

Answer 5

• or table wine
• cannot bear any geographical designation other than “Italy” itself, yet some of Italy’s most iconic wines—in particular the “Super Tuscans” Sassicaia and Tignanello—got their start as simple Vino da Tavola

Question 6

Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) / Indicazione Geografica Protetta (IGP)

Answer 6

• 1992 Goria’s established the category of IGT
• more relaxed regulation, offering winemakers wider freedoms
• The first IGTs appeared in 1994
• often varietally labeled
• wines range from basic quality to some of Italy’s most sought-after bottles

Question 7

Donominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) / Denominazione di Origine Protetta (DOP)

Answer 7

• strict and high quality classification

- second highest classification

Question 8

Passito

Answer 8

a type of dessert wine produced from grapes that have been dried out before crushing to concentrate their sugar content

Question 9

Riserva

Answer 9

Aged for a specific period longer than minimum regional standards

Question 10

Classico

Answer 10

Typically a wine that comes from a traditional or more restrictive area inside a recognized region

Question 11

Superiore

Answer 11

Can represent a higher level of alcohol, longer aging, or a more specific appellation depending on the region the wine comes from