The Various Tiers of Italian Wines

Italian wines, like French and Spanish wines, have certain restrictions and laws regarding their production. These Italian regulations result in their wines being classified into four official tiers.

While you’ll find the producer’s name, appellation, vintage and alcoholic content on the label of an Italian wine, you’re also likely to find its official classification there too. These classifications are a guide to their quality.

In the 1960s, Italy began its wine classifications with heavy influence from the appellation system used by their northern wine neighbors in France.

Italy began with the DOC and DOCG categories and then created the IGT category in the early 1990s.

Italy’s four official tiers of wine classifications are as follows:

• DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) — This is the highest classification for Italian wines. There are more than 7 DOCG wines in Italy, most of them from the regions of Piemonte, Tuscany, and Veneto. The controls (controllata) for these wines include the methods used in wine production and provides a guarantee (garantita) of the wine’s quality. The strict rules imposed on a DOCG wine include the allowable grape varieties, limits its production (yield), defines the necessary grape ripeness for harvest, specifies the winemaking procedures and finally, defines aging requirements on barrels and bottle before a wine is released to the market. These wines are also subject to official tasting procedures. As an added guarantee, and to prevent counterfeiting, you’ll find that these bottles have a numbered government paper seal on the neck.

• DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) — This is the primary tier of Italian wines and covers nearly all traditional Italian wine style. There are more than 300 DOC titles in Italy, each having its own unique set of laws governing their wines. These laws include the viticultural zone, the grape varieties and the wine’s style. These wine also have an official paper seal on the neck of the bottle.

• IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) — This classification was introduced in 1992 allowing certain freedoms to Italian winemakers. This classification focuses on the region of origin, much like the AVA system in the U.S., rather than grape varieties or wine styles. It has significantly helped Italian wine makes who produced wine from grape varieties, or blends of grapes, not allowed under the DOCG and DOC classifications.

• VDT (Vino da Tavola) — This is the most basic category of Italian wines. Meaning 'table wine' this category is the lowest tier. Table wines can be made from grapes grown anywhere in Italy and are rarely of high enough quality to be exported.

Within each of the tiers you may also see the words “Classico,” “Superiore” and “Riserva” which also have regulated meanings:

• Classico: These wines are made in the original historic center of a wine-producing region. Examples include Chianti Classico and Valpolicella Classico.

• Superiore: These wines wines are of higher quality often because of higher alcohol (typically at least 0.5% higher) than the minimum required and/or it has been aged longer than required.

• Riserva: These are aged longer than typical. Generally, for at least two years.

Behind the Cork™ - Ca' di Prata Prosecco

Ca’ di Prata Prosecco

Ca’ di Prata Prosecco sparkling wines are produced with a strong committed to quality. By carefully managing their raw materials, their winemaking processes and through special attention to detail, they are able to share these quality products, exclusively made in Italy, with the entire world.

Prata is a community in the Province of Pordenone in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 100 kilometers northwest of Trieste. The Ca’ di Prata Prosecco Brut and Rosé wines are from the village of Prata, famous for the historic tower where people come together to enjoy a glass of Prosecco with family and friends. The Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore comes from Valdobbiadene, the most famous Prosecco region located near the village Prata di Pordenone.

Glera, the primary grape used in the production of Prosecco, is a green-skinned grape variety that has been grown for hundreds of years in the Veneto and Friuli regions of Italy and too is the basis for these three wonderful Prosecco sparkling wines.

The Ca’ di Prata DOC Brut ($15.99) is made from 85% Glera and 15% ‘other varieties.’ According to the winery, the ‘other varieties’ include Pinot Bianco and Chardonnay that gives this Brut “…a complex savory and mineral note which makes it more full-bodied.” This Brut Prosecco is bright and fresh with good acidity and the traditional green apple flavor associated with the Glera grape.

The Ca’ di Prata Extra Dry Prosecco Rosé ($16.99) is produced from 85% Glera and 15% Pinot Noir. It is fermented in stainless steel tanks to preserve its crisp flavors. At the end of fermentation, it is cooled to 0° C and left to rest for a month before being bottled. It is wonderfully light and refreshing with crisp flavors and refreshing acidity.

The Ca’ di Prata Valdobbiadene DOCG Extra Dry ($17.99) is so named for the grapes that come from vineyards in the province of Treviso in the historical area of the DOCG Conegliano Valdobbiadene. It is also produced from 85% Glera and 15% ‘other varieties.’ It has a golden-straw color with green hints. This too has flavors of golden apple along with a citrus hint and pleasant acidity.

All three of these Prosecco wines are delightful and great values. Look for them! Cheers!

Note: Ca’ di Prata wines are imported by Mack & Schuhle Inc and are distributed nationally.

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Donna White Communications

The Puglia Wine Region of Italy

As we’ve explored the wines of Italy, we’ve learned about the regions of Tuscany, Piedmont’s red wines and white wines, Sicily, Veneto, Valpolicella, Soave, and Montepulciano, Italian grapes such as Sangiovese and Nebbiolo, and the non-traditional red blends designated “Super Tuscans.”

As we continue learning about the wine regions of Italy, we now move to the “heel” end of the boot that forms Italy’s shape and learn about Puglia. This is a lesser-know region that has traditionally been home to a lot of grape growers, rather than wine producers. But, there are now winemakers producing quality wines. And, in addition to all this grape growing, Puglia produces nearly half of Italy's olive oil.

Puglia is home to more than thirty DOCs (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) and six IGTs (Daunia, Murgia, Salento, Tarantino and Valle d’Itria). Puglia is divided into three viticultural areas, which correspond to its administrative provinces: Foggia in the north, Bari and Taranto in the middle and Brindisi and Lecce in the south.

Puglia once produced more wine than any other region in Italy but has, in recent years, focused on quality instead of quantity.

Red grapes grown in Puglia include:

Bombino Nero - Used to produce both red wines and rosés

Montepulciano - Used to make Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Negroamaro - Grown on the Salento peninsula, these grapes are a dark-skinned, tannic and used in the production of Salice Salentino and Brindisi as well as rosés (rosatos in Italian)

Nero di Troia/Uva di Troia - Named after the Puglian town of Troia, this grape is used in some single-varietal wines as well as blended with Bombino Nero, Montepulciano and Sangiovese.

Primitivo - Also known as Zinfandel, this is one of the most planted grape in Puglia

Sangiovese - Italy’s most famous grape is Puglia's most planted grape

Puglian white wine grapes include:

Bombino Bianco - A high-yield varietal with a neutral flavor that is most often used in blends

Chardonnay - Not an Italian grape, but Chardonnay is grown for bulk distribution

Trebbiano Toscano - This is another high-yield, acidic white grape that is most often sold in bulk to produce blended wines

Verdeca - Typically blended with Bombino Bianco and Trebbiano Toscano.

So, don’t overlook Italy’s Puglia region. Not only can you find some great wines, but you’ll also find them to be great values. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Scaia Corvia

2018 Scaia Corvina ($14)

The Scaia project was launched by Tenauta Sant’Antonio in 2006 with the aim of creating wines with a modern style outside the restrictions by Italy’s denomination system. And, this is a fine example of working just outside of those restrictions.

The grapes for this wine are from the eastern part of the Valpolicella region in Italy. But, to be labelled as a Valpolicella, it would need to be comprised of 45 to 95% Corvina. This wine is 100% Corvina, so does not meet the law for a Valpolicella and so it’s labelled as a Corvina varietal.

This Scaia Corvina was fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks to retain the bright fruit flavors. It underwent Malolactic conversion and then spent six months in the bottle before going to market.

This wine is pale purple in color and very light on the nose with just hints of red fruit aromas. On the palate it remains light with sour cherry flavor, light tannins and nice acidity on the finish.

If you love the cherry flavors of Valpolicella or Chianti, you’ll love this wine. And, at this price, it’s another great fit to be a Behind the Cork™ wine of week. Cheers!

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Disclosure of Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Katherine Jarvis, The Jarvis Communication Team

The Four Styles of Valpolicella Wine

Valpolicella (val-polla-chellah) is an Italian wine region that covers 95 square miles across the western part of the Veneto region.

There are four primary styles of Valpolicella. In the order from least to most intensity they are: Valpolicella, Valpolicella Ripasso, Amarone della Valpolicella and Recioto della Valpolicella. These wines are all made with the same grapes (Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Molinara) but the wine-making techniques is what differentiates them.

So, here’s a brief overview of each style.

Valpolicella - This wine is fresh and fruity and the lightest style. It typically has bright aromas and sour cherry flavor that is so typical of many northern Italian red wines. It should be slightly chilled and enjoyed with lighter fare or simply as a refreshing fruity wine on a warm afternoon. Wines labelled as Valpolicella Classico come from the original Valpolicella zone. To be labelled as Valpolicella Superiore, the wine must be aged a minimum of one year in wood and have a minimum alcohol level of 12%

Ripasso - This style is just a bigger version of Valpolicella. It gains it added flavor because it is produced using the Ripasso method of wine making. It starts with the basics used in making the Valpolicella wine, but adds a second fermentation that takes advantage of the pomace - the leftover grape skins that remain after the grapes are pressed for the Amarone and Recioto styles that are described below. By doing this second fermentation with the dried pomace, this style of wine has raisin-like notes that give it a fuller, richer flavor.

Amarone - Amarone may translate to “big bitter” but don’t let that fool you. This style has concentrated flavors of dark fruit and raisins. This is achieved by drying the grapes on mats, racks (see photo) or hanging them from rafters for extended periods (weeks or months) after harvest. Known as the appassimento process, the dried fruit concentrates the flavors and sugars. The result is a wine with big flavor and alcohol levels that can reach up to 17% ABV.

Recioto - This is a dessert wine made from dried grapes. Similar to the process for used for Amarone, this fruit is dried for up to 200 days. This further concentrates the flavors and sugars. The dried grapes are then used to produce this wine but the fermentation is halted before all of the sugar is converted to alcohol. This results in a very sweet wine that still retains its natural acidity.