Wine - X

Italian Wine

It would be presumptuous of me to pretend to know all about Italian wine. Let's just be happy to look at a few of the areas and varieties that make Italian wine so interesting.

Of course, this subject demands a lot of research ... an ongoing task to which I intend to apply some effort.

See below some general information on Italian wine, and by district below and on the links above:

1. The Origins of Italian Wine

2. The Italian appellation system [here]

3. Italian wine Regions [here]

1. The Origins of Italian Wine

During the Greek domination the cultivation of vine in Italy became increasingly important for both social and religious purposes. The cult of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, was one of the most significant aspects of the Greek society, particularly popular in Sicily and in the southern lands named Magna Grecia. Currently there are still grapes and wines, especially in the southern regions, whose names originate from Greek heritage such as Greco, Aglianico or Matvasia. During this time another great civilization, the Etruscans, was cultivating grapes and producing wine in the central regions. Both cultures gave the Romans the most important impulse to develop the viticulture tradition in Italy and beyond, through the Rhone and Burgundy areas, in France. Spain and Germany.

During the roman time wine production and trade were regulated by laws that were able to define the origin and the typology of wine. It was not uncommon to find, for example, an Albanum wine, native from the hills around Rome, or a mulsum wine, a sort of mixture of wine, honey, seawater and other eccentric ingredients. After the fall of the Roman Empire the viticulture tradition was completely forgotten. The Roman and Greek practices, such as pruning or grape selection, survived only in areas such as Tuscany and Piedmont, the first regions of Italian wine renaissance.

After the Italian unification in 1861, thanks to the introduction of French technologies and new studies about grapes and viticulture, the quality of Italian wines increased, producing some of the most famous expressions such as Barolo or Brunello. However the real "wine revolution" happened in the first period of the Eighties when producers and winemakers, taught in France, introduced the use of the French oak barrique, low yield per hectare and high technology in the winery, laying the foundation of modern Italian wine making.

The fertile plain of the Po river characterised the north of the territory stretching from the city of Turin to Venice in the east. The national territory is then defined by rolling hills and mountains, making it an ideal place for viticulture. The Alps protect the country from the strong northern winds and the Atlantic cold climate. whereas the mountain range. named Apennines, represents the backbone of the peninsula. Apart from the highest snow-covered peaks, these mountains and hills are dedicated to vineyards.

It is a popular belief that the climate of Italy is always sunny and warm. However there are several different types of climate: continental in the north and southward as far as Tuscany or Marche, giving cold winters, hot summers and frequent rain and hail storms: equable in the central part with cool winters and warm summers: Mediterranean in the south and on the islands, with mild winters and hot dry summers in which drought can provoke the foremost problem for viticulture. The sea, hills, valleys, rivers, lakes and forests also give rise to individual micro-climates which affect the wines made in these areas. The variety of topographical, climatic and soil conditions in Italy result in a wider range of different types and styles of wine than in any other part of the world.

Unlike other wine producing nations where wine is only made in certain areas, like France, Germany, or the United States, Italian wine is made in every single region of the twenty forming the nation. The most important aspect to remember is that Italy has been a united nation for little more than hundred years. Before this the country was a gathering of kingdoms, duchies and city-states that were frequently in war amongst each other. The geographical and political separation encourages individual customs and traditions which can be clearly identified today.

All these differences also involve wine making practices. In order to offer a better understanding of the Italian wine, we can divide the country into five macro-regions: the north-west, the northeast, the centre, the south and the major islands. Each macro-region has broad similarities regarding climate and grape varieties, although styles of wines can vary, depending on local traditions and winemakers choices. It is fundamental to remember that Italy is the wine production nation with the most significant number of local varieties rarely grown in other parts of the world and for this reason difficult to be compared with wines from the rest of the world.

2. Italian appellation system

In 1963, the first official Italian system of classification of wines was launched. Since then, several modifications and additions to the legislation have been made, including a major modification in 1992. The last modification, which occurred in 2010, established four basic categories which are consistent with the latest European Union wine regulations (2008–09).

The categories, from the bottom to the top level, are:

Vini (Wines - informally called 'generic wines'): wines can be produced anywhere in the territory of the EU, label includes no indication of geographical origin of the grape varieties used or the vintage. (The label only reports the colour of the wine.)

Vini Varietali (Varietal Wines): generic wines that are made either mostly (at least 85%) from one kind of authorised 'international' grape variety (Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah) or entirely from two or more of them, grape variety or varieties and vintage may be indicated on the label. (The prohibition to indicate the geographical origin is instead maintained. These wines can be produced anywhere in the territory of the EU.)

Vini IGP (Wines with Protected Geographical Indication also traditionally implemented in Italy as IGT - Typical Geographical Indication): wines produced in a specific territory within Italy and following a series of specific and precise regulations on authorized varieties, viticultural and vinification practices, organoleptic and chemico-physical characteristics, labeling instructions, etc. In 2016 there were 118 IGPs/IGTs.

Vini DOP (Wines with Protected Designation of Origin): This category includes two sub-categories: Vini DOC (Controlled Designation of Origin) and Vini DOCG (Controlled and Guaranteed Designation of Origin). DOC wines must have been IGP wines for at least 5 years. They generally come from smaller regions within a certain IGP territory that are particularly vocated for their climatic and geological characteristics, quality, and originality of local winemaking traditions. They also must follow stricter production regulations than IGP wines. A DOC wine can be promoted to DOCG if it has been a DOC for at least 10 years. In addition to fulfilling the requisites for DOC wines, DOCG wines must pass stricter analyses prior to commercialization, including a tasting by a specifically appointed committee. DOCG wines must also demonstrate a superior commercial success. Currently (2016) there exist 332 DOCs and 73 DOCGs for a total of 405 DOPs.

A number of sub-categories exist pertaining to the regulation of sparkling wine production (e.g. Vino Spumante, Vino Spumante di Qualità, Vino Spumante di Qualità di Tipo Aromatico, Vino Frizzante).

Within the DOP category, 'Classico' is a wine produced in the original historic centre of the protected territory. 'Superiore' is a wine with at least 0.5 more alc%/vol than its corresponding regular DOP wine and produced using a smaller allowed quantity of grapes per hectare, generally yielding a higher quality. 'Riserva' is a wine that has been aged for a minimum period of time. The length of time varies with (red, white, Traditional-method sparkling, Charmat-method sparkling). Sometimes, 'Classico' or 'Superiore' are themselves part of the name of the DOP (e.g. Chianti Classico DOCG or Soave Superiore DOCG).

The Italian Ministry of Agriculture (MIPAAF) regularly publishes updates to the official classification.

It is important to note that looser regulations do not necessarily correspond to lower quality. In fact, many IGP wines are actually high quality wines. Talented winemakers sometimes wish to create wines using varietals or varietal percentages that do not match DOC or DOCG requirements. "Super Tuscans", for example, are generally high quality wines that carry the IGP designation. There are several other IGP wines of superior quality, as well.

Unlike France, Italy has never had an official classification of its best 'crus'. Private initiatives like the Comitato Grandi Cru d'Italia (Committee of the Grand Crus of Italy) and the Instituto del Vino Italiano di Qualità-Grandi marchi (Institute of Quality Italian Wine-Great Brands) each gather a selection of renowned top Italian wine producers, in an attempt to unofficially represent the Italian wine excellence.

In 2007 the Barbaresco Consorzio was the first to introduce the Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive (additional geographic mentions) also known as MEGA or subzones. Sixty-five subzone vineyard areas were identified in 2007 and one additional subzone was approved in 2010, bringing the final number to 66. The main goal was to put official boundaries to some of the most storied crus in order to protect them from unjustified expansion and exploitation.

The Barolo Consorzio followed suit in 2010 with 181 MEGA, of which 170 were vineyard areas and 11 were village designations. Following the introductions of MEGA for Barbaresco and Barolo the term Vigna (Italian for vineyard) can be used on labels after its respective MEGA and only if the vineyard is within one of the approved official geographic mentions. The official introduction of subzones is strongly advocated by some for different denominations, but so far Barolo and Barbaresco are the only ones to have them.

3. Italian wine regions

Italy's twenty wine regions correspond to the twenty administrative regions of the country. Understanding the differences between these regions is very helpful in understanding the different types of Italian wine. Wine in Italy tends to reflect the local cuisine. Regional cuisine also influences the wine.

The 73 DOCG wines are located in 15 different regions but most of them are concentrated in Piedmont, Lombardia, Veneto and Tuscany. Among these are appellations appreciated and sought after by wine lovers around the world: Barolo, Barbaresco, and Brunello di Montalcino (colloquially known as the "Killer B's"). Other notable wines that have gained attention in recent years in the international markets and among specialists are: Amarone della Valpolicella, Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene, Taurasi from Campania, Franciacorta sparkling wines from Lombardy; evergreen wines are Chianti and Soave, while new wines from the Centre and South of Italy are quickly gaining recognition: Verdicchio, Sagrantino, Primitivo, Nero D'Avola among others. The Friuli-Venezia Giulia is world-famous for the quality of her white wines, like Pinot Grigio. Special sweet wines like Passitos and Moscatos, made in different regions, are also famous since old time.

The regions are, roughly from Northwest to Southeast: