WINES OF ITALY

BY-YUSUF LOKHANDWALA
TAHER BHAGAT
 ITALIAN WINE HISTORY
 Italian wine is wine produced in Italy, a country
which is home to some of the oldest wine-producing
regions in the world. Etruscans and Greek settlers
produced wine in the country long before the
Romans started developing their own vineyards in
the second century BC. Roman grape-growing and
winemaking was prolific and well-organized,
pioneering large-scale production and storage
techniques like barrel-making and bottling.Two
thousand years later, Italy remains one of the
world's foremost producers, responsible for
approximately one-fifth of world wine production in
2005.
 Wine is a popular drink in Italy. Grapes are grown in
almost every part of Italy, with more than 1 million
vineyards under cultivation. In some places the vines
are trained along low supports. In others they climb
as slender saplings.
 Most wine-making in Italy is done in modern
wineries. However, villagers who make wine for their
own use sometimes still tread the grapes with their
bare feet, until the juice is squeezed out. They
believe this ancient method still makes the best
 The top grapes of the
Italian kind are as follows:
Red Grapes White Grapes
Barbera Moscato Bianco
Corvina Pinot Grigio
Montepulciano Trebbiano
Nebbiolo Verdicchio
Primitivo Vernaccia
Sangiovese
WINE REGION OF ITALY
How to Read Italian
Wine Labels?

Though the majority of wine labels have a rectangular

shape, some producers use more creative shapes
and, in some cases, even break the label into two
separate parts.
Oddly enough, the information printed on the wine
label sometimes is of little help in understanding the
kind of wine that one is drinking. This is especially
true when the consumer is a newcomer, who might
not be familiar with the definitions used in enology, or
when the consumer is a non-Italian speaking subject
who purchased Italian wine abroad.
a reference key to common information printed on all
Italian wine labels, in the hope of being of help to
 Wine Label Glossary
No two wine labels are alike. All labels however, have some elements in common that are
required by the laws of various world governments.glossary of terms that are
commonly found on Italian wine labels.

Label Term Italian English

Abboccato Leggermente Lightly sweet

Amabile dolce
Semi dolce Semisweet
Amaro - Bitter, very dry
Amarone Delizioso vino Full bodied,
corposo della delicious
Valpolicella fatto Valpolicella wine
con uve made with semi-
Annata parzialmente
Anno di dried grapes.
Vintage year
seccate.
vendemmia
Asciutto - Bone Dry
Barrique Piccola botte da Small 225-liter
225 litri (about 59.5
gallons) oak
Bianco - White

Botte - Cask or barrel

Bottiglia - Bottle

Brut Secco Dry

Cantina Sociale - Cooperative winery

Cantine - Cellars

Casa Vinicola - Winery

Cascina Casa di campagna, Farmhouse. Word

termine usato used mainly in
principalmente in Tuscany.
Cerasuolo Toscana.
Color ciliegia Cherry-hued rose

Chiaretto Rosa profondo Deep rose

Classico Definizione A geographic term

geografica assegnata applied to DOC or
a vini DOC o DOCG. Fa DOCG wine; refers to
riferimento alla zona the core area of a
tradizionale production zone.
Consorzio principale di
(di produttori) Consortium of
produzione. producers
Denominazione di Denominazione Official Italian wine
Origine Controllata ufficiale dei vini denomination,
(DOC) italiani assegnata e assigned and
Denominazione di regolata a termini di
Denominazione regulated by Italian
Official Italian wine
Origine Controllata e legge.
ufficiale dei vini law.
denomination
Garantita (DOCG) italiani assegnata e assigned and
regolata a termini di regulated by Italian
legge, con parametri law, with stricter
ancor più restrittivi rules compared to
rispetto alle DOC, con DOC, in order to
lo scopo di garantire guarantee taste as
Dolce costanti -ed elevati well
Sweetas constant wine
standard qualitativi quality standards.
dei vini prodotti.
Enoteca - Wine bar

Fattoria - Farm or estate

Fermentazione - Natural bubbles in

naturale sparkling wine.
Frizzante or - Fizzy or lightly fizzy
Frizzantino
Imbottigliato - Bottled
Imbottigliato all'origine - Estate bottled
Imbottigliato nella zona - Bottled in the production
di produzione area.
INE seal Su tutte le bottiglie On all bottles exported
esportate negli Stati to United States
Uniti
Invecchiato - Aged
Liquoroso - Strong wine
Località - FSingle vineyard site
Masseria - Farm or estate
Metodo charmat, Vino spumante Sparkling wines, made
classico or tradizionale preparato secondo il according to the
metodo di fermentazione 'charmat' fermentation
Passito or Passita 'charmat'
Vino fatto con uve method.
Wines made with semi-
parzialmente seccate dried grapes
Podere - Small farm or estate
Recioto Vino dolce della Special Valpolicella wine
Valpolicella fatto con uve made with semi-dried
parzialmente seccate grapes
Riserva Vino DOC sottoposto ad DOC wines that undergo
invecchiamento extra cask aging at the
prolungato in botte winery before release
prima della distribuzione
Rosato - Rosé
Rosso - Red
Secco - Dry
Semisecco Mediamente Medium sweet,
dolce, usato di usually refers to
solito con vini sparkling wine.
Spumante frizzanti.- Sparkling wine
Superiore Vino DOC a DOC wines with
contenuto higher alcohol
alcoolico content by
Tenuta superiore- volume
Farm or estate
Uva - Grape
Uvaggio - Wine from mix of
grapes
Vecchio - Old
Vendemmia - Vintage year

Vigna - Vineyard

Vignaiolo - Grape grower

Vino da tavola Questa definizione Table wine. In itself

non implica nessun this term does not
particolare livello imply any particular
Vino novello qualitativo
- quality level
New wine, usually
red, bottled for early
consumption.
Vino tipico Definizione Emerging definition
emergente. Si for wine. It will be
piazzerà un gradino one step below the
Vitigno sotto la DOC.
- DOC level.
Either vine or grape
variety
Vivace - Lively, as in lightly
bubbly wine.
VQPRD Simbolo usato European Union
dall'Unione Europea symbol for DOC wines
VSQPRD per i viniusato
Simbolo DOC European Union
dall'Unione Europea symbol for sparkling
per i vini frizzanti DOC wines
DOC
 To illustrate,3 labels that are different in shape as well as in the
amount of information printed on them.
 To provide a common reference key, we have numbered the data
printed on the 1998 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva Bosco
label, the one that includes the greatest amount of information
from 1 to 11. On the other two labels we have skipped the
numbers for which no information is provided. Thus, the 2000
Korem Isola dei Nuraghi label from Argiolas is missing numbers
3 and 11, while the 1998 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Conte di Bregonzo label is missing numbers 6, 10 and 11.
3. Type of wine
4. Wine appellation
5. Additional denomination
6. Vintage year
7. Name of the wine
8. Color of the wine
9. Quantity in milliliters
10. Alcohol content by volume
11. Nation of origin (in our case, obviously Italy)
12. Bottling company data
13. Importer (this information is obviously missing from labels of Italian
wines purchased in Italy).
LABELS OF ITALIAN WINE

Montepulciano
d'Abruzzo - 1999
Salento Rosso Red Wine
Produced and bottled by
IGT - 1999
Azienda Agricola
Red Wine Masciarelli s.n.c.
Alc. 14% by Italy
Vol.
• Producer: Masciarelli
• Producer: • Description: Taste: Soft,
Azienda sapid and lightly tannic.
Agricola Aroma: Low key and
Taurino pleasant.
Cosimo Color: Intense ruby red
with light violet accents.
 New European Union rules
for Wine Labels
Following, we provide both mandatory and optional guidelines.
Mandatory Information
• Name of the Name of the region from where the wine comes, defined by a decree by the Ministry of
determined region Agriculture and Forest Politics, such as Manduria, Lison Pramaggiore, Orvieto, Chianti
etc.. The size of these fonts must be twice as big as the font size used for the
bottling facility locations.

• Denominazione di These definitions, whose font size must be bigger than the font used for the determined
Origine Controllata e region and printed immediately below the name of the determined region, should be
Garantita written in full, avoiding all acronyms. D.O.C.G. or D.O.C. acronyms must be used
(Denomination of exclusively on additional labels, brochures and other collaterals.
Origin Controlled and
Guaranteed)
• Denominazione di
Origine Controllata
(Den. of Orig. Cont.)

• Name or business Must be printed with the name of the either the municipality or village and the country where
registration of bottling the headquarters of the facility are located. If the wine is bottled in a municipality or
facility village different than the headquarters', such information must be printed following the
name of business or the registration of the bottling facility.
 Main location of the bottling facility-
The location, including the municipality
or the village and the country must be printed in fonts half the size of the one
used to print the region's name. The country should use the same size fonts
and, following the facility name and municipality (i.e. Stefano Bianchi –
Montalcino – Italia). If the names, and addresses of companies, wineries, farms
and other enterprises include either a minimal part of geographic indications
reserved for DOCG, DOC or IGT wines, or may generate confusion for the
user, the type size should not exceed three millimeters (3 mm., or 0.118
inches) of height and two millimeters (2 mm., or 0.078 inches) of width.
However, the fonts should never be taller or wider than 1/4 of the font used for
the denomination or the name of the producer, merchant or bottling facility. If
the product is deemed for export, it should carry the name of the country one
more time (in the case of Italian wine the indication "Italia", or "Italy", must be
repeated twice).
Nominal volume-
It must be printed in liters, centiliters or milliliters, using
numbers followed by the symbol of the of the measuring unit (i.e. "l" or"cl"
or"ml", without adding the usual dot at the end).Font size must be six
millimeters (6 mm., or 0.236 inches) if the nominal volume is more than 100
centiliters; Four millimeters (4 mm., or 0.157 inches) if the nominal volume is
100 centiliters or less but over 20 centiliters; three millimeters (3 mm., or 0.118
inches) if the nominal volume is 20 centiliters or less but more than 5
centiliters; and two millimeters (2 mm., or 0.078 inches) if the nominal volume
is 5 centiliters or less
Effective alcohol content-
Must be expressed in percentage by
volume by half point increases (i.e. 12% vol. or 12.5% vol. Please
remember that Italians use commas as dots and vice versa when
writing numbers, thus the same values on an Italian wine label would
read 12,5% vol.). The symbol used for it must be "% vol.".  Producers
can choose to use either the definition "gradazione alcolometrica
effettiva", "alcole effettivo" or the symbol "alc.". The numbers' font
size must be five millimeters (5 mm., or 0.196 inches) minimum if the
nominal volume is more than 100 centiliters; three millimeters (3
 LOT-
The lot is determined either by the producer or by the bottling facility. The lot
number identifies the number of bottles filled with the same wine at the same
location and is generally preceded by the letter "L" and followed by the date on which
the bottle was filled. The lot number is mandatory for all products that do not carry
an expiration date expressed in day and month. Lot number must be easy to see and
read, water-resistant and preceded by the letter "L" (the "L" can be avoided if the
code is noted separately from the other indication). 
Ecologic guidelines-
Text or image which invites the consumer to
not abandon empty containers after use. Must be clearly visible on
the container itself or on the label. If using text, font size must be
not smaller than one millimeter (1 mm., or 0.039 inches) on
containers which hold 200 milliliters; two millimeters (2 mm., or
0.078 inches) for containers bigger than 200 milliliters and up to
500 milliliters; and three millimeters (3 mm., or 0.118 inches) if
the containers are bigger than 500 milliliters. If using the
approved graphic (a human figure tossing the container in a
garbage can), it should not be smaller than ten millimeters (10
mm., or 0.393 inches) if the container holds 500 milliliters or less;
fifteen millimeters (15 mm., or 0.59) if the container holds 1,500
milliliters pr less but more than 500 milliliters; and twenty
millimeters (20 mm., or 0.787) if the container holds over 1,500
milliliters. 
Vintage year-
 Optional Information
The optional information may be printed either on the same label carrying the mandatory
information or on one or more additional and / or on the container itself.

 Lower case letter "e“-

It is the EC symbol for pre-prepared containers compliant
with the Directive number 106/75 and subsequent modification and integrations; font
size must be at least three millimeters (3 mm., or 0.118 inches) of height and printed
in the same visual field as the nominal volume.
 Brand-
The brand, either registered or not, may be printed, unless it includes words
or part of words that may generate confusion or mislead consumers; They must do
not include the acronym D.O.C. or D.O.C.G.
 Total alcohol content-
It can be reported either by completing the effective alcohol
content with the "+" symbol followed by the value of the potential alcohol volume
and the "% vol." symbol (i.e. 10 + 2 %vol.), or adding "titolo alcolometrico totale" or
"alcole totale" followed by the value and the "% vol" symbol. This number must be
the same font size as the one used for the effective alcohol content
 Bottled in the production area Bottled in-
followed by the name of the determined
region can be printed if the bottling is made in the determined region. In cases where
bottling is made by the grape grower, either one of the following mentions may be
added to the label: "imbottigliato dal viticoltore", or "bottled by the vintner";
"imbottigliato all'origine", or "bottled at the origin"; "imbottigliato dalla cantina
sociale", or "bottled by the cooperative winery"; "imbottigliato dai produttori riuniti",
or "bottled jointly by the producers".
 Businesses involvedwith marketing-
Either name or business names of people or
entities who participated in marketing the V.Q.P.R.D. including the municipality or
village where they are headquartered. Font size should be no larger than half the size
of the determined region. the above data must be completed by the mention of the
business activity, choosing among the following definitions: "viticoltore"
(viticulturist), "raccolto da ..." (harvested by ...), "distribuito da ..." (distributed by),
"messo in bottiglia per ... da ..." (bottled by ... for ...), "negoziante di vino" (wine
merchant), etc. The business name of the bottling facility, the broker, or one of the
person who are part of the marketing chain can be associated to the definition
"fattoria" (farmhouse), "tenuta" (holding company), "podere" (farm), "cascina"
(farmstead), "azienda agricola" (commercial farm), "contadino" peasant, "viticoltore"
(viticulturist), exclusively if the wine was made entirely from vineyards belonging to
the named estate, qualified using one of the definitions listed above and crushed in
the same facility without adding concentrated must to heighten the natural alcohol
by volume of the wine.
  Sub-zone-
It is possible to add the name of smaller topographic areas than the
determined region as long as the topographic definition is expressively allowed by
the production rules and the 100% of the grape used to make the V.Q.P.R.D. come
from the mentioned sub-zone. 
 Distinctions-
Prizes and certificates assigned by an official organization to a lot of
wine coming from the same container from which the official testing was made
[article 27 Legge (Law) 164/92].
 Abbazia (Abbey), Castello (Castle)-
These definitions and related images may be
used only if the wine is made with grape harvested from vineyards belonging to the
named estate and the wine was made by the same company. 
 Information-
It is possible to add optional information about the wine history, the
estate history, the natural growing conditions or the growing technique (i.e. "Vino di
collina", or "(Hill wine", "Vino di colle", or "Hill wine" if the vineyard grow on such
area), the grape variety used, even if they are three or more varieties, as long as the
varieties mentioned add up to at least the 85% of the the total used. Information
about the aging before release (i.e. "vecchio", or "old" and "invecchiato", or "aged"
 EC Mention-
"Vino di qualità prodotto in una regione determinata" (Quality Wine
Produced in a Determined Region), or "V.Q.P.R.D.".
 Grape variety-
May be added when allowed by the production rules, and the wine
is made with 85% at least of the mentioned grape, taking into consideration possible
addition of sweetening substances, within the mandated parameters. In case the
grapes comes from two vineyards, the wine must be made exclusively with grapes
produced in said vineyards with the one which contributes more, listed first
 Recommendation to consumers about wine consumption-
Pairing with recipes;
How to serve wine; how to deal with aged wine that has sediments; the use of the
wine for religious purposes; and wine storage guidelines. 
 Color-
The specification that it contains either red, white or rosé wine. for some
V.Q.P.R.D. wines such specification is mandatory. When specified pn the production
rules, such colors may be completed by the addition of the shade of color such as:
"giallo" (yellow), "dorato" (golden), "paglierino" (straw yellow), "ambrato" (amber),
"verdolino" (greenish), "rubino" (ruby), "granato" (garnet), "cerasuolo" (cherry red),
"aranciato" (orangey), "chiaretto" (light red). The shade definition can be used
without reference to the base color either (i.e. "chiaretto" without "rosso" or rosato). 
 Numbering-
Usually highlights the limited production of a certain wine. It is
mentioned on the label associated to the kind of container (i.e. bottle number ...).
 Clarification-
Usually refers to organolectic substances that characterize V.Q.P.R.D.
wines.
 Mention of "vineyards-
"Followed by the local name as long as said name is
registered in the title book; the area is specifically identified in the vineyard
registry; be mentioned when declaring the annual grapes at the Chamber of
Commerce; the afore mentioned grapes are crushed separately.
 LEGAL QUALITY CODES

1. Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG)

• Classified as superior DOCs.
• Held to strict standards in regard to:
o reduced output yields
o in-depth chemical analyses of wine’s composition
o specified sensory analyses
o minimum alcohol the wine must contain
o minimum periods of aging
2. Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC)
• Classified as quality wines.
• Held to strict standards in regard to:
o maximum yields
o specified sensory analyses
o originating zone
o minimum alcohol the wine must contain
o minimum periods of aging
o grape variety
3. Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT)
• Exceptional value for the money
• Less restrictions but high quality
• Less strictly controlled in regard to:
o wider territories
o single-grape variety or maximum blend
ratios
4. Table Wine
• Everyday wine of Italy.
• Some of Italy’s best and priciest wines.
• Strictly controlled in regard to:
o level of alcohol
• Not regulated in regard to:
o single-grape and blended varieties
o winemaking techniques
 Temperature-Sensitive
Wine Label
Wouldn't you like to know when that bottle of wine is just at its best
temperature and ready to be served?
 The label on the Mar de Frades 2003 Albariño, a crisp, fruity white
wine produced on the northwest coast of Spain that is just perfect
paired with seafood, uses thermo-sensitive ink to let you know
when the wine in the bottle are suitably chilled.
 In fact, when the wine reaches its optimal serving temperature of
52°F to 55°F (about 11°C to 13°C), a little blue ship appears on top
of the aqua waves.
 The label was introduced by William Grant & Sons, importers of
the Mar de Frades winery, who used it for the first time on the
2003 Allbariño wine.
 Recycling Natural
Cork Stoppers
 The project entitled “Tappo a chi” was launched on
May 31, 2009. dedicated to the Cantine Aperte (Open
Cellars) event, at over 300 wineries which
participated in the initiative. The corks of the bottles
opened during the event were collected in jute
containers and held awaiting the recycling process.
Almost 100% of the Italian produced cork is
absorbed by the vitiviniculture industry and it is
transformed in stoppers for wine bottles."Natural
cork is a precious material and it is 100% recyclable.
The Consortium, which is responsible for the
recycling of over 1.6 million metric tons of wood
waste each year, now has the objective of recycling
the estimated 5,000 metric tons of cork which is
currently disposed of with the garbage in Italy. The
cork thus reclaimed can be used in the production of
isolating panels for sound and heat and components
for footwear, such as heels and shoe bottoms."
 SOME FACTS OF WINE

Check out some of the most recent studies

that boast the health benefits of wine:

 Overall Health Benefits:

Anti-aging effects in red
grape skins (Harvard Medical School in Boston,
2004)
 Lung Health Benefits:

Improved lung function from

antioxidants in white wine (American Thoracic
Society, 2002)
 Heart Health Benefits:

Coronary heart disease

reduced (University of California, Davis, 1995)
Healthier blood vessels in elderly (University of Ferrara
in Italy, 2004)
 Ulcer Prevention:

Ulcer-causing bacteria reduced

 Cancer Prevention:
Cancer cells killed by protein
in red grape skins (University of Virginia Health
System, 2004)
 Stroke Prevention:
Arteries kept clean by
polyphenols in red grape skins (William Harvey
Research Institute, 2002)
 Women’s Health Benefits:
Decreased ovarian
cancer risk (The Queensland Institute of Medical
Research in Australia, 2004)
Stronger bones (Twin Research and Genetic
Epidemiology Unit, St. Thomas’ Hospital in
London, 2004)
Lower risk of stroke (Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, 2001)
 Men’s Health Benefits:
Lower risk of heart attack
for men with high blood pressure (Worcester
 References
www.tastings.com
www.epicurious.com
www.italianmade.com
http://wine.about.com

THANK
YOU.