Italian Appellation System
Historically, Italy has been one of the world’s largest producers of wine but there was no authentic uniform system of classification till half a century ago. Appellation system was developed initially in 1963. Amendments were made later and currently there are four classes of wine according to the Italian appellation system. Two of the classes of wine are table wines and the remaining two are quality wines produced in a specific region (QWPSR).
Wine Classification – Description and Significance
Technological innovations and modern means of transport in the last two centuries have enabled marketing and export of Italian wine to different parts of the world. This led to the market being flooded with spurious wines and Italian wine was referred to as sub-standard.
Italian government formulated a nation-wide appellation system to regulate grape cultivation, wine manufacture, and sale. Classification is done based on the producer’s compliance with government regulations. Higher classification does not necessarily indicate good flavor and taste but it will ensure that wine is of high quality and fetch higher price in the market. Given below is the Italian appellation system in descending order.
Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG)
This means certificate of controlled and guaranteed origin. This is the highest classification accorded to Italian wines and was started in 1980. Five wines were initially included in this classification but currently the number is around twenty five. Stringent procedures regarding the grape variety, color, type, cultivation methods, soil, quality of wine, etc have to be adhered to to get this classification.
A wine must have been accorded DOC classification for at least five years to qualify for this classification. Wines have to pass the blind taste test to be accorded this classification. Piedmont region with seven produces the highest number of DOCG wines in Italy followed by Tuscany with six. Barolo, Barbaresco, Asti spumante, and Chianti are a few of the renowned DOCG wines.
Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC)
This means certificate of controlled origin. This system was started in 1963 and currently there are around 300 DOC wines like Friuli, valpolicella, and rosso di montepluciano. This law delimits the zones in which the grapes originate and wine is produced. Vineyard owners and winemakers are required to adhere to stringent regulations that stipulate the grape variety, maximum yield per hectare of grapes, minimum alcohol level, color, aging period, etc. Chemical analysis is done to ensure quality.
Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT)
This is a modified and expanded form of DOC that the Italian government introduced in 1992. It does not have stringent regulations as in DOC and DOCG but ensures that wines are of high quality and priced competitively. It denotes a specific production area and there are approximately 200 wines like tignanello and sassicaia under this category.
Vino Da Tavola (VDT)
VDT means table wine in Italian. Majority of Italian wines fall under this category as the only qualification is that the wine has to be manufactured in Italy. These are economical wines of good quality that are manufactured for everyday use in Italy. Very few of these wines are exported.
References
1) http://www.italiansrus.com/articles/wine_classifications.htm
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