The Wine Regions of Italy

I can't think of Italy without thinking about wine (and pasta of course). I am not a wine connoisseur but I have taken a few of them on tour through the Tuscan wine region. We visited vineyards and tasted 5 of the 11 DOCG wines of Tuscany. DOCG - Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin) is put in place to protect wine consumers. There are specific production, territory, and harvesting rules and regulations. DOCG wines offer extremely important guarantees of the highest standard such as the certainty of great quality and truthful origin.

There are currently 78 DOCG wines in all of Italy. WebFoodCulure has the list you can view HERE

Each wine has a certain percentage of a grape variety that has to be in each bottle to be labeled a certain wine. For instance: Chianti Classico has to be made with a minimum of 80% Sangiovese grapes. But Chianti has to be made with a minimum of 70% Sangiovese AND 15% cabernet. This is why you see different shades of vines in the fall. There are many different grape varieties growing in each vineyard.

Here is a rundown of Italy's Wine Regions and what grape/wine varieties are produced in each. We start with the highest-yielding regions and work our way down.

Prosecco

Soave

Valpolicella/Bardolino

Merlot

Pinot Grigio

Chianti

Brunello di Montalcino

Trebbiano

Merlot

Cabernet Sauvignon

Vinsanto

Barolo/Barabaresco

Barbera

Moscato D'Asti

Dolcetto

Gavi

Brachetto

Arneis

Trebbiano

Lambrusco

Sangiovese

Barbera

Croatina (Bonarda)

Pinot Noir (Pinot Nero)

Franciacorta

Barbera

Chiavennasca (Nebbiolo)

Montefalco Rosso

Trebbiano

Grechetto

Merlot

Sagrantino

Montepulciiano D'Abruzzo

Trebbiano

Chardonnay Sangiovese

Schiava (Vernatsch)

Trentodoc

Pinot Grigio

Muller-Thurgau

Merlot

Gewurztraminer

Teroldego

Lagrein

Pinot Grigio

Merlot

Friuliano

Chardonnay

Cabernet Franc

Refosco

Schioppettino

Verdicchio

Lacrima di Morro D'Alba

Montepulciano

Sangiovese

Primitivo(Zinfandel)

Negroamaro

Montepulciano

Trebbiano

Malvasia

Trebbiano

Merlot

Sangiovese

Cesanese

Marsala

Catarratto Bianco

Nero D'Avolo

Grillo

Inzolia

Syrah

Chardonnay

Grecannico

Nerello Masalese

Cannonau (Grenache)

Vermentino

Carignan

Monica Nera

Nuragub

Aglianico

Falanghina

Malvasia

Greco Bianco

Fiano

Vermentino

Rossese

Gaglioppo

Greco Nero

Magliocco

Greco Bianco

Montepulciano

Cabernet Sauvignon

Trebbiano

Aglianico

Sangiovese

Primitivo

Petite Arvine

Petite Rouge

Picotendre (Nebbiolo)