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Italian Wine Classification
In Italy almost 60 millions of hectoliters of wine are produced
each year
(1 hectoliter = 100 liters).
Italians wines span over an impressive variety of tastes and
perfumes, that includes superb wines, good quality wines and honest
wines to be served in less formal occasions.
Recently, the Italian wines classification has been updated,
and the IGT (Indicazione geografica tipica) class has been introduced.
The Italian wines classes are:
D.O.C.G.: only 13 wines deserve the
classification Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita
(Certification of Controlled and Guaranteed
Origin).
The acronym designates the production area. D.O.C.G. wines should
have outstanding characteristics strictly related to a particular
climate, natural environment, culture and should be produced following
extremely rigid procedures. D.O.C.G. wines should have been
classified D.O.C. for at least 5 years, and should overcome those
wines not only in quality, but also for their cultural and historical
relevance, and should be recognized nationally and internationally.
It is impossible to sell them in bottles or containers bigger
than 5 liters, and are characterized by a State Authority seal.
I.G.T.: 121 wines in Italy are classified
as Indicazione Geografica Tipica(Typical
Geographic Indication) for a total of 25 millions hectoliters
each year. The acronym is obviously related to the production
area. Also those wines production procedures are coded
and documented.
D.O.C.: in Italy 257 Denominazione di Origine
Controllata
(Certification of Controlled Origin)
wines are produced. As for D.O.C.G. wines, the acronym designates
a production area whose wines have strong peculiarities related
to climate, natural environment, local culture and, of course, an
outstanding quality. Even D.O.C. wines production should follow
strict procedures.
VINO DA TAVOLA: this is the
classification for the other 25 millions of hectoliters of wine
produced each year in Italy.
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