Wines is one of the common subject, when you think about Italy.
On a territory with a lot of different climate conditions, from South, on the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, to North, on the Alps, and different kind of soil, we produce a huge variety of different wines, starting with the high alcohol content passito wines to get to the sparkling white wines produced at the base of the Alps. A path that involves all the Italian regions.
This is why I speak of Italian WINES, and not of Italian Wine.
There are grapes, like Cabernet Sauvignon,Chardonnay and Merlot, that are cultivated everywhere in the world. In France, 70% of the production is using the most known vines, while in Italy this number drop down to 40%, while 60% of the production use native vines.
As evidence of the uniqueness of the territories, Prosecco hills have been recently added on the Unesco world Heritages. Here the official page from Unesco website: Le Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene
This addition is very important for us, because it acknowledge the importance of the territories where the wine is produced. When you visit Italy for testing wine, in fact you explore areas with a big diversity, from the volcanic slopes of Etna to the green hills of Conegliano and Monferrato.
You will discover ancient Wineries, where technology and tradition are working together. You will be also probably surprised to find an art exhibition on a winery, or a degustation of wine inside a museum, in a combination of culture, art and tradition.
Read the Label
When you buy an Italian way, please take a minute to read the label, to know what you drink
There are a few acronyms that you need to know
European Classifications
DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta). In English PDO (Protected Designation of Origin). DOP means that the complete production of a wine (harvest, vinification, bottling) is made on a specific area. Ia in fact a certificate of origin of your product
IGP (Indicazione Geografica Protetta). In English PGI (Protected Geographical Indication). Is a lower level compared with DOP, and means that the origin of the grapes is defined, but the process may be don on another area
Italian Classifications
Vino da tavola: (TW = Table Wine) Is a generic classification indicating the lowest quality of the wine produced in Italy
IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) is included on the European IGP classification
DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) = (Controlled Designation of Origin) defines a specific area of origin, while DOCG add the G of guaranteed, that implies an higher level of control
Veneto
I live in Veneto region. Veneto have a big diversity in the production of wine, because the territory of the Veneto extends from the Alps to the sea. In Veneto 52.7% of the wine is classified DOP, 40.7% is classified IGP, and only the remaining 6.6% is classified TW. (Source: Associazione Nazionale Produttori Vinicoli - 2013 - Data from the National Institute of Statistic)
As you can see, this means that the quality of the wine in Veneto is normally very high.
30% of the produced wine is Red and Rosè, and 70% is white, from still to sparkling.
We produce very exclusive wines like Amarone della Valpolicella and Cartizze (do these names tell you anything, Karen?) and a wide range of white and red wines, from the worldwide known Prosecco to Raboso, a wine produced on the stones of the Piave river.
The mention of Prosecco and Raboso is not casual. Two completely different wines that grow up very close to each other.
Talking about wine means also talk about vinery. Is in there that you can appreciate the history and the traditions of the wine producers
Beautiful villas, deep and long galleries, with bottles stacked everywhere in the underground. Wooden barrels where the wine is aging, slowly, silent
Wine and history
The places of wines are rich of history. You can find old castles, ancient villas. Now the history is combined with the modern technologies, that can ensure the best quality of the wine.
Wine and Arts:
For many it can be strange to imagine a combination between the two.
For this reason I suggest you to visit Vignale Monferrato, a small town in the Piedmontese hills, whose name derives directly from the word “vineyard”
You will be surprised, visiting the town on Summertime. Since 1978, they hold a Dance festival. I have visited the festival for the first time on the second edition (1979) and I have been invited to the same festival as a guest on 1988, with the dance company where I was a volunteer. “Vignale, the city of wine and dance” you can read on the website of the town.
Art exhibition are very common on the winery, and wine exhibition is very common in the museums of my city
Wine and Local Guides
Every year in Treviso we organize a Wine Meet-up, where we explore a wine, and the territory
[Recap] Treviso Wine Meetup - November 25, 2017 by @AntonellaGr
RECAP: Ebbrezza Wine Meet up II
If you want to come, we are working for Wine Meet-up III
Wine have been part of several post, not only from Italian Local Guides. Here a few, written by some of our Connect Moderators
International Wine Exchange: Local Guides Style by @KarenVChin
Wine Tasting Adventure in Californiaby @KarenVChin
September is the month of the Grape Harvest
Exploring Italian Wines - A Modern Traditional Art
What do you know about the Jerez-XĂ©rez-Sherry Wine by @AlejandraMaria
This is a collaborative post by #TeamItaly included in the #TeamChallenge proposed by @ermest. The post is part of the series about Italy: Italian culture between ancient and modern.
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, perhaps we might have one all together here in Tuscany