Italy
Varied: Alpine to Mediterranean
One of the world's largest wine producers, with vineyards in every region and hundreds of native grape varieties.
Overview
About Italy
Italy usually rivals France as the world's largest wine producer, and vines are grown in all twenty of its administrative regions. It has an unusually large number of native grapes — Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Aglianico, Nero d'Avola — many of which are barely grown outside Italy.
The modern classification system began with the DOC in 1963 and was topped by the DOCG from 1980, when the first were awarded to Barolo, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and, a few months later, Barbaresco (Albana di Romagna, the first white, followed in 1987). The IGT category, created in 1992, gave a legal home to innovative wines such as the 'Super Tuscans' that broke with traditional rules.
Where is a grape grown?
Hover a marker to see what's grown there, and click it to open that place. On a touch screen, tap once to preview and again to open. Bigger markers have more grapes linked to them.
Italy
The land
Climate & terroir
Climate
Varied: Alpine to Mediterranean
A long peninsula stretching from the Alps to Sicily: cool and continental in the north, Mediterranean through the centre and south, with the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian seas and the Apennine mountains moderating conditions.
Terroir & soils
What the vines grow in
A vast range: Alpine moraine and dolomite in the north, clay-limestone hills in Piedmont and Tuscany, and volcanic soils in the south, notably around Etna and in Campania.
Go deeper
How the wines are classified
Italian wine has a ladder of four steps. The higher you go, the tighter the rules on area, grapes and production.
DOCG
Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita, the top tier, with the strictest rules and a tasting check. Includes Barolo, Barbaresco and Brunello di Montalcino.
DOC
Denominazione di Origine Controllata: a defined area, grape list and methods. The largest quality tier.
IGT
Indicazione Geografica Tipica: a broader area with looser rules. Many 'Super Tuscans' sit here.
Vino
Table wine, with no place of origin named.
Within Italy
Regions
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Italy's north-eastern corner on the Slovenian border, celebrated for crisp, mineral whites and pioneering skin-contact 'orange' wines.
Piedmont
The foothills of the western Alps, where Nebbiolo makes Barolo and Barbaresco alongside Barbera, Dolcetto and sparkling Moscato d'Asti.
Puglia
The heel of Italy: hot, sunny, and home of Primitivo, Negroamaro and Nero di Troia — once bulk wine, now ripe, characterful reds.
Sicily
The Mediterranean's largest island, making Nero d'Avola, the volcanic wines of Etna, sweet Zibibbo from Pantelleria and Marsala.
Tuscany
Rolling hills of Sangiovese — Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile — and the birthplace of the Super Tuscans.
Veneto
Italy's biggest wine region by volume, from Valpolicella's Amarone to Soave and Prosecco, between the Alps and the Adriatic.
What's grown here
Grapes
Grapes linked to Italy or to a place within it. Each grape's page links back here.
Arneis
Grown in Langhe and Roero.
Barbera
Grown in Piedmont and Asti and Monferrato.
Cabernet Franc
Grown in Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Bolgheri.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Grown in Bolgheri.
Ciliegiolo
Grown in Tuscany.
Cortese
Grown in Gavi.
Corvina
Grown in Veneto.
Garganega
Grown in Soave.
Glera
Grown in Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Conegliano Valdobbiadene.
Merlot
Grown in Tuscany and Bolgheri.
Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains
Grown in Piedmont and Asti and Monferrato.
Muscat of Alexandria
Grown in Sicily.
Nebbiolo
Grown in Roero, Barbaresco, and Barolo.
Nero d'Avola
Grown in Sicily.
Pinot Gris
Grown in Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Collio.
Sangiovese
Grown in Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Classico, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
Sauvignon Blanc
Grown in Collio.
Ugni Blanc
Grown in Tuscany.
Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Grown in San Gimignano.
Zinfandel
Grown in Puglia.