Italy

OUR ITALIAN WINES 

QUALITY GRADES
Vino da Tavola - This category is the equivalent of French vin de table. Although in most cases these are the simplest and least expensive of wines, some of the more rare interesting wines are also sold as Vino da Tavola.

DOC Denominazione di Origine Controllata - This is the Italian equivalent of the French AC and was introduced in 1963. DOC on the label guarantees

1 That the wine has been produced in the named vineyard area
2 That methods of production in the vineyard and the winery have been specified

DOCG Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita - This category has been reserved for few wines that have been subjected to even stricter controls and each bottle carries a government seal. Examples of DOCG wines will include Barolo and Chianti Classico

CLIMATE
Italy lies between latitudes 37ºN at its most southerly point and 47ºN in the Alps. This means there is considerable variation in climate throughout the country. However, the overall climate is much more consistent, year on year, than in Germany or northern France.

GRAPE VARIETIES
A huge number of grape varieties are grown and examples of important indigenous varieties together with broad indications of where they are planted and what they produce are:

Red: Nebbiolo (Barolo, Piemonte) Sangiovese (Chianti, Tuscany) Barbera (Piemonte) Lambrusco (Emilia Romagna)
White: Verdicchio (Marches) Trebbiano (Tuscany) Malvasia (Latium, Umbria, Tuscany, Fruili)
In addition to these indigenous grapes, the Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon have been widely planted in various regions, with excellent results.