2. Italy - History
•4000 years wine cultivation
•Established by Etruscans and Greeks
•Important wine trade during the Roman Empire
•Local importance in the Middle Ages
•Renaissance in the 19th century
•Establishment of the DOC/DOCG system 1963
3. Italy
Current Wine Statistics
(source Trade Data Analysis 2010)
Per Capita Annual Consumption
• Wine 42 liters
• Beer 31 liters
• Bottled Water 177 liters
US Americans drink 9 liters and Brits 20 liters per
capita annually, but Italy has far less binge drinking
and alcohol abuse problems.
4. Italy
Current Wine Statistics (OIV 2009)
Per Capita Annual Consumption
Production
• Total vineyard area 812,000 ha
• 47 million hl
• 22% world export volume
• More than 300 DOC and DOCG zones
• More than 2,000 wine types registered
7. Italy
Classification:
Following the French example, the classification
system introduced in 1963, which was amended in
1992, comprises four levels of quality:
• Vini da Tavola (V.d.T.)
• Indicazione Geografica Tipica (I.G.T)
• Denominazione di Origine Controllata (D.O.C)
• Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita
(74 D.O.C.G. as of 19.10.2011)
10. Italy - Liguria
Geography
Steep mountain slopes
along coast from French
border to Tuscany
Climate
Moderate Mediterranean
climate
Soil
Limestone soils
Main DOC region
Cinqueterre
11. Italy – Liguria
The main grape varieties
White Red
• Vermentino • Rossese
• Pigato • Sangiovese
• Bosco • Ormeasco (Dolcetto)
• Albarola • Granaccia
13. Italy - Piedmont
Total vineyards
ca. 60,000 ha
Total production
ca. 2,700,000 hl
DOC/G production
2,276,353 hl (84%)
14. Italy - Piedmont
Geography
•Piedmont, literally in the foothills
•bordered by the Alps in the North and in the West
•Borders Switzerland and France
•Apennines to the south, separating it from Liguria,
Climate
•Continental – long, cold winters and hot, humid summers
•Wine-growing is prolific
•Concentrated cultivation in the hills bordering Liguria
Soil
•meager
•marl and limestone
15. Italy - Piedmont
white wine varieties
Moscato
– Fizzy or sparkling and sweet
• Moscato d’Asti
• Asti Spumante
Cortese
– Dry, restrained, elegant and mineral
• Cortese di Gavi
• Gavi di Gavi
Arneis
– Dry, soft, fruity
16. Italy - Piedmont
red wine grape varieties
Barbera
•Workhorse grape
•Traditional style: soft and fruity wines
•Modern style: barrique-matured and more tannic
•Varietal labeling
Dolcetto:
•Deep colored
•Can be tannic and quite rustic
•New-style Dolcetto
•Varietal labeling
17. Italy – Piedmont
red wine grape varieties
Nebbiolo
•Noble grape of Piedmont
•Among the finest wines of the world
•Late-ripening
•needs best vineyard locations
•Lighter-colored, tannic wines with pronounced
acidity
•“tarry” characters
•DOCG
– Barolo, Barbaresco (South)
– Gattinara, Ghemme (North)
18. Italy – Piedmont
Barolo DOCG (red)
• 1,100 ha
• Core villages
– Barolo, La Morra, Monforte, Serralunga
• 100% Nebbiolo of the Michet, Lampia and Rosé
subvarieties
• Minimum barrel storage
– 38 months
– Riserva, 60 months
• Traditionalists/Modernists
19. Italy – Piedmont
Barbaresco DOCG (red)
•450 ha
•Core villages
– Barbaresco, Neive, Treiso
•100% Nebbiolo of the Michet, Lampia and Rosé
subvarieties
•Minimum barrel storage
– 24 months
– Riserva, 48 months
20. Italy - Aosta Valley
Geography
smallest Italian region
up to 1,200 m
Climate
Warm summers and cold
winters
Soil
Fertile, alluvial soils
Of special interest
Europe’s highest altitude
vineyard: Blanc de
Morgex DOC
22. Italy - Lombardy
Geography
•Stretches from the alpine
foothills to the Po valley
Climate
•Cool winters
•mild summers
•warmer in the south
Soil
•stony loam in the north
•sandy loam and clay in the
south
23. Italy – Lombardy
Wine production and wine production styles
North: Valtellina
– high-altitude red wines from the Nebbiolo grape
– 500 ha Superiore
• incl. Grumello, Inferno, Sassela, Valgella
Central: Franciacorta
– hills around Erbusco
– high-quality Champagne-style sparkling wines
– dry reds from international varieties
South: Oltrepo Pavese
– dry red blend of Barbera, Croatina and Uva Rara
24. Italy – Lombardy
The main grape varieties
White Red
• Trebbiano di Lugana • Chiavennasca
• Pinot Bianco (Nebbiolo)
• Chardonnay • Pinot Nero
25. Italy - Alto Adige & Trentino
Geography
•Adige river valley in the
Alps
•Trentino is further
south, towards lake
Garda
Climate
•Cool, but sheltered
area
Soil
•Alluvial, sandy and
gravelly soils
26. Italy – Alto Adige & Trentino
Wine production and wine production styles
Alto Adige
•356,420 hl
•Fresh, cool-climate white wines from international
varieties
•Fresh and light red wines from indigenous grapes
•Kalterer See, St. Magdalener, Lagrein
Trentino
•864,975 hl
•60% white, mainly from Chardonnay
•Reds from indigenous varieties
27. Italy – Alto Adige & Trentino
The main grape varieties:
White Red
•Pinot Bianco • Vernatsch
•Pinot Grigio • Lagrein
•Riesling • Pinot Nero
•Sauvignon Blanc • Merlot
•Gewürztraminer • Cabernet Sauvignon
•Chardonnay • Teroldego
28. Italy – Alto Adige & Trentino
The main DOC regions
Alto Adige
•Alto Adige + varietal name (white or red)
•St. Magdalener (Vernatsch)
•Kalterer See (Vernatsch)
Trentino
•Teroldego Rotaliano
•Trentino + varietal name (white or red)
30. Italy - Veneto
Geography
•Stretches from the foothills
of the Alps from Lake Garda
to the northwestern coast of
the Adriatic Sea
Climate
•Maritime influence
•interior: hot summers, harsh
foggy winters
Soil
•Hills: basalt and limestone
•Po Valley: fertile alluvial soils
31. Italy – Veneto
The main grape varieties
White Red
• Garganega • Corvina
• Prosecco • Molinara
• Trebbiano di Soave • Rondinella
33. Italy - Veneto
• Recioto
– Distinctive category of wine made from dried
grapes
– red (Valpolicello) or white (Soave)
– Traditional old style – Botrytis and
intentionally oxidative
– Modern style – excludes Botrytis, sometimes
oaked
34. Italy – Veneto
Valpolicella
Valpolicella blend
• Corvina veronese, 40-70%
• Rondinella, 20-40%
• Molinara, 5-25%
• Barbera, up to 15%
• Negrara trentina and/or Rossignola and/or
Sangiovese, 15%
• other local red varieties, up to 5%.
35. Italy – Veneto
Valpolicella
• Valpolicella DOC • Recioto della Valpolicella
• Valpolicella Superiore DOC DOCG
– dry, red – Sweet, red
– 12 months maturation – grapes partially dried
– min. 14% alcohol
• Valpolicella Ripasso DOC
• Amarone della Valpolicella • Recioto della Valpolicella
DOCG Spumante DOCG
– Sweet, red
– dry, red
– Sparkling
– grapes partially dried
– Min. 14% alcohol
– min. 14% alcohol
– 24 months maturation
36. Italy
Friuli - Venezia Giulia
Geography
•Northeast
•borders Austria and Slovenia
•Protected by mountains to the
North and Northeast
Climate
•moderate Mediterranean climate
Soil
•Grave del Friuli
– gravel and pebbles from
decomposed rock
•Colli Orientali and of the Collio
– porous soils - sandstone, marl,
loam and maritime chalk
37. Italy
Friuli – Venezia Giulia
Wine production and wine production styles
•Known for fresh and fruity varietal white wines
•Crisp, cool-climate reds
•Picolit
– Dessert wine
– Poor pollination at flowering
– No botrytis
38. Italy
Friuli - Venezia Giulia
The main grape varieties
White Red
• Tocai Friulano • Tazzelenghe
• Ribolla • Refosco
• Malvasia d’Istria • Schiopettino
• Verduzzo • Merlot
• Picolit • Cabernet Franc
• Chardonnay • Cabernet Sauvignon
• Pinot Bianco
• Pinot Grigio
• Sauvignon Blanc
39. Italy - Emilia Romagna
Geography
• plains along the river Po
• some hilly areas in the
Romagna
Climate
• mild
• cool air from the North
Soil
• fertile sandy soils and
loam in the plains
• rocky limestone in the
Romagna area
40.
41. Italy - Emilia-Romagna
Wine production and wine production styles
•Mainly simple, basic wines produced
•Wine styles are light and fresh, due to cool
climate
•Home of Lambrusco
–most Lambrusco are frothy, semi-sweet and low in
alcohol
–Most made in industrial quantities
–Tank fermented or carbonated
–Sometimes pasteurized
–Red, rosé and white
44. Italy - Umbria
Geography
•Umbria is situated in the
center of the boot
•mountainous and hilly
•no sea access
Climate
•Moderate Mediterranean
•Lago di Trasimeno
regulates humidity and
temperature
Soil
•variable
45. Italy - Umbria
Most important wines
•Orvieto - simple, dry, white
•Sangiovese – easy drinking reds
•Merlot - international styled in oak
•Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG (red)
•Torgiano Riserva DOCG (red)
•Vin Santo (sweet, usually white)
50. Italy – Marches, Abruzzi, Molise
Wine production and wine production styles
• 8% of Italian production
• Mainly dry white and red wines
• Cool climate gives scope for innovative wine-making
• Most important wines
– Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOCG(white)
– Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane (red)
51. Italy
Marches, Abruzzi, Molise
The main grape varieties
White Red
• Verdicchio • Sangiovese
• Trebbiano • Montepulciano
• Vernaccia • Lacrima di Morro
• Maceratino
• Biancame
53. Italy - Tuscany
Total vineyards
ca. 66,000 ha
Total production
ca. 2,800,000 hl
DOC/G production
1,749,601 hl (62%)
54. Italy - Tuscany
Geography
•Central Italy
•Hills
Climate
•Moderate
– Mediterranean influences
– Continental influences
Soil
•Sand, clay, and marl on plains and in river valleys
•Calcareous topsoil over limestone rock and gravel
dominates hills
55. Italy – Tuscany
Most important wines
all based on Sangiovese!
•Chianti DOCG (red)
•Chianti Classico DOCG (red)
•Brunello di Montalcino DOCG (red)
•Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG (red)
57. Italy – Tuscany
•Chianti Classico DOCG (red)
–Sangiovese 80-100%; other local red varieties <20%
–Hilly
–wines fine and long-lived
–between Florence and Siena
–Riserva - matured 24 months
58. Italy - Tuscany
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG (red)
• 1888 first bottling under this name by Biondi-Santi
• 100% Sangiovese
• From south of Siena, warmer climate than Chianti
• Traditionally matured in large casks
• Aged 50 months
• Riserva aged 60 months
Rosso di Montalcino DOC
• Brunello’s “little brother”
• released after 12 months
59. Italy - Tuscany
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG (red)
• Sangiovese (Prugnolo gentile) 70% minimum
• Canaiolo nero <10%
• other local non-aromatic varieties <20%
– (white varieties, up to 10%)
• Aged 26 months
• Riserva aged 36 months
Rosso di Montepulciano DOC
• Vino Nobile’s “little brother”
60. Italy - Tuscany
Bolgheri DOC
• Bianco
– Trebbiano toscano, 10-70%; Vermentino, 10-70%; Sauvignon,
10-70%; other local white varieties, up to 30%
• Rosso and Rosato
– Cabernet Sauvignon, 10-80%; Merlot, up to 80%; Sangiovese,
up to 70%; other local red varieties, up to 30%
• Varietals
– variety indicated in the name 85%; other similar
varieties 15%
• Sassicaia
– Cabernet Sauvignon, 80%; other local red varieties, up to 20%
61. Italy - Tuscany
White wines
• Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG
– Dry, light and fresh wine produced around
town of San Gimignano from Vernaccia
• Vin Santo
– Dessert wine produced from dried Trebbiano
and Malvasia grapes
– Passito
62.
63. Italy - Lazio
Geography
•Hills and plains
•Tyrrhenian Sea
•Appenine mountains
Climate
•Mild
•maritime
Soil
•fertile sand and loam
•some volcanic rock
64. Italy - Lazio
Wine production and wine production styles
•Large production volume
•85% white wine
•Most important wines
– Frascati Cannellino (white)
– Frascati Superiore (white)
65.
66. Italy - Campania
Geography
•South-western Italy, with its
capital Naples
Climate
•moderate Mediterranean
climate at the coast
•hot continental climate in
the interior
Soil
•volcanic soils
•sandy tuff
•limestone
67. Italy - Campania
Wine production and wine production styles
•Predominantly Vino da Tavola
•Emerging as high quality region of southern Italy
Most important wines
– Fiano di Avalino DOCG (white)
– Greco di Tufo DOCG (white)
– Taurasi DOCG (red)
– Aglianico del Taburno DOCG (red)
68. Italy - Calabria
Geography
•South-western tip of
the Italian boot
Climate
•Mediterranean, strong
winter rains
Soil
•Fertile alluvial soils,
terrain mainly hilly
69. Italy - Calabria
Wine production and wine production styles
•Predominantly Vino da Tavola
•Most important wines
– Cirò Classico
• oldest traditional region
• red (Galliopo) or white (Greco di Bianco)
– Cirò Superiore
• > 13,5 % alcohol, red (Galliopo)
– Cirò Riserva
• matured for min, 2 years, red
– Greco di Bianco
• sweet white dessert wine, passito method
70. Italy - Apulia
Geography
•Mainly hilly region,
some fertile plains
Climate
•Hot and very dry
Soil
•Limestone and volcanic
rock
71. Italy - Basilicata
Geography
•Mainly hilly region,
some fertile plains
Climate
•Hot and very dry
Soil
•Limestone and volcanic
rock
72. Italy - Apulia & Basilicata
Wine production and wine production styles
•Predominantly Vino da Tavola
•80% of production is red wine
•Most important wines
– Apulia:
• Primitivo de Manduria DOCG (red)
• Salice Salentino DOC (red)
– Basilicata
• Aglianico del Vulture DOCG (red)
73. Italy - Apulia & Basilicata
The main grape varieties
White Red
• Trebbiano • Montepulciano
• Bombino Nero
• Bombino Bianco • Aglianico del Vulture
• Primitivo (Zinfandel)
• Bianco d’Alessano
• Uva di Troia
• Negroamaro
• Malvasia Nera
75. Italy - Sicily
Geography
•Largest Mediterranean
island, long coastline
•85% mountains and
hilly, rest plains
Climate
•Mediterranean, hot and
dry, strong winds
Soil
•Fertile soils, loam and
sand, volcanic rock
76. Italy - Sicily
Wine production and wine production styles
•Home of table wines
•Cooperatives
•Marsala is Italian equivalent to Sherry
•Local wines just developing
•Popularity of international grape varieties
Most important wines
– Marsala
– Nero d’Avola
– Internationally styled varietal wines