Wine is the passport to the World.
Before you embark on your adventure through the best Italian wine regions, it’s important to have an understanding of the wines of Italy and the terms used to describe them. These are some of the most common terms you might find when discovering the best types of wines that Italy has to offer.
Vino bianco: White Wine
Vino rosato: Rosé Wine
Vino rosso: Red Wine
DOCG: Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita or Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin
Indicates the highest quality of wine in the country.
DOC: Denominazione di Origine Controllata or Denomination of Controlled Origin
Provides quality certification with less stringent standards than DOCG.
IGT: Indicazione Geografica Tipica.
A quality designation that allows foreign grapes to also be added.
Classico
A wine with a higher alcohol content than the minimum required in the appellation.
Superiore
A wine with a higher alcohol content than the minimum required in the appellation.
Riserva
Italian reserve wine. Denotes a superior wine, typically with a longer aging process.
