The legal classification of Italian wines before the reform in 21:

(1)Vino da Tavola(VDT) daily table wine grade;

(2) Indicazione Geografi Chattipica (IGT) excellent regional table wine grade;

(3) Denominazione di origni controllata (Doc) is the legal wine grade of producing area;

(4) Denomina zione di origni controllata e garantita (DOCG) and other legal wine grades.

It is divided into four grades, aiming at enhancing and improving the reputation of Italian wines by dividing geographical regions.

1. Vino da Tavola(VDT) daily table wine grade

generally refers to the most common table wine, which is drunk during daily meals, and the regulations on the place of origin and brewing method of wine are not very strict. However, in fact, some beautifully brewed wines failed to obtain a higher grade because the grape varieties or brewing methods used did not comply with the law, but they were deeply loved by consumers in the market and their prices were not low.

According to the regulations, the daily table wine can be blended with wines from different regions, but they must all be regions permitted by the European Union.

2. Indicazione Geografi Chattipica (IGT) Excellent regional table wine grade

is a kind of wine that needs to specify the region. It is required to use at least 85% of the grapes picked in a specific region, and generally the grape variety and the color of the wine should be indicated. Italian IGT wine is a wine approved by the European Union, which belongs to the same grade as VINS DE PAYS (regional wine) in France and LANDWINE (local wine) in Germany.

IGT grade contains a lot of very good wines (most IGT wines are produced in Tuscany). They are good wines promoted from Vino da Tavola grade in the past and brewed by reputable producers, which is an absolute guarantee of quality.

Some wines, such as Solaia, Tignanello, Summus and Tincsvil (all produced in Tuscany), can be listed among the most expensive wines in Italy, and at least in Italian wine law, they are the most controversial wines.

Because they perfectly express the art of winemakers, IGT naming has developed into a law worth showing off, especially many wines of this grade have achieved amazing commercial results in the export market.

The first wine to be upgraded from IGT to DOC was the famous Sassicaia, a wine based on Cabernet Sauvignon, which was made by Saint? Chino Winery was first brewed in 1986, using grapes introduced from Lafite Manor.

3. Denomina zione di origni control lata (DOC) legal wine grade

Before being rated as DOC, each Doc must be an IGT grade producing area for more than 5 years.

And wine production should be controlled in the following aspects:

Approved varieties and proportions;

(1) For some wines, the lowest and highest altitude for planting;

(2) the yield per mu and the pruning methods used in the vineyard; The maximum production of wine per hectare of vineyard;

(3) wine brewing method; Aging method, aging time and the shortest aging time of some Reserva wines.

every DOC wine must meet the minimum standards of color, aroma and taste, and these items are controlled by the tasting Committee. All Italian wines for sale must pass strict chemical tests of minimum alcohol content and total acid.

in some cases, the minimum and maximum residual sugar content are also limited, especially when different styles of wine are produced in specific DOC producing areas. For example, the DOC-grade white wines in Orvieto and Umbria provinces range from dry to semi-sweet to sweet, and the sugar content of each wine is limited.

As for trademarks, Italy has a unified regulation, which will print the DOC mark on the bottle neck label of this grade of wine and write the number.

4. wine grades in special legal producing areas, such as denominazione di origini control lata e garantita (DOCG)

select the producing areas with the best quality from the DOC producing areas, then certify them, and accept stricter regulations on wine production and labeling. DOCG is the highest grade of Italian wine.

you must meet the specified production standards in a specific production area before you can be awarded the DOCG. DOCG wine must be sold in bottles, the bottle capacity is less than 5 liters, and the officially coded label must be placed on the oak stopper of the bottle. Once the producers in DOCG producing areas are publicly rejected by the tasting committee, these wines must be downgraded to Vino da Tavola.

to apply for DOCG grade production area, it must be a DOC grade production area that has lasted for more than 5 years. For IGT wine, it takes at least 1 years to apply for DOCG, because it must spend at least 5 years as an IGT-level producing area and then 5 years as a DOCG-level producing area before applying for DOCG-level.

according to Italian wine laws and regulations, to apply for becoming a DOCG producing area, you must fully show yourself and the Italian wine industry, and create a "reputation and commercial influence that both the domestic market and the international market have".

There are four core conditions for awarding DOCG title to DOCG producing area:

First, this possible DOCG producing area has already produced historically important wines;

second, the quality of wine produced in this region has been recognized internationally and is sustainable;

thirdly, the quality of wine has been greatly improved and attracted attention;

Fourthly, the wines produced in this region have made great contributions to the healthy development of Italian economy.

Italian wines of p>DOC and DOCG are not only printed on the wine label (usually under the wine name), but also often appear on the tin foil wine cap at the bottle mouth in the form of a long pink seal.

Extended information:

In p>1963, the Italian Parliament passed the Denominazione Di Origine Act, which was implemented in 1966, and then it was adjusted and revised several times. The latest reform was in 21, in order to cooperate with the new wine law promulgated by the European Union in 29. The grading system after the reform is as follows:

1. vini (basic table wine): Italian Vini means Wines in English. These wines can come from anywhere in the European Union, and there is no specific indication of the place of origin, grape variety or year.

2. Vini Varietali: These wines can come from anywhere in the European Union, but at least one international grape variety has a content of more than 85%, or is completely brewed by two or even more international grape varieties.

the international varieties here refer to Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The wine label can indicate the grape variety and year, but not the specific place of origin.

3. Vini IGP (geographical indication protection label wine): this grade is IGT grade wine of Italian original wine method. This level has detailed regulations on producing areas, allowed grape varieties, specific cultivation methods, winemaking methods, wine quality level, alcohol content, wine label labeling specifications and so on. By the end of 213, there were 118 IGT or IGP producing areas in Italy.

4. Vini DOP (origin protection label wine): This classification includes two levels of DOC and DOCG of Italian original wine law. By the end of 213, Italy * * * had 33 DOCs and 73 DOCGs, which added up to 43 DOPs.

Although the new wine law has been promulgated, most wineries still use the legal classification before the reform to label their wines.

Baidu encyclopedia-Italian wine classification