Italy's Wine-Making History
Inland regions such as Tuscany are heralded today as the cradle of Italian wine making, but Italy's history of viticulture — the practice of growing grapes specifically to make wine — actually got its start in what is present-day Sicily. It was the Greeks who taught the ancestors of today's Sicilians how to ferment the good stuff, which spread to other parts of modern Italy during the second century B.C. Many of the grapes were grown and harvested by slaves, a dark blotch on an otherwise grand tradition.
It wasn't until 1963 that the Italian parliament created the wine classification system that is the basis for what exists today. The aim was to ensure that wines are actually produced in the regions their labels indicate. The system was modified in 1992 to make room for Super Tuscans — a blend made with grapes from different regions — which winemakers began producing in the 1970s despite the fact that they violated existing regulations.
Fact
The Roman Empire knew it had a good monopoly when it outlawed the production of wine beyond Italy's borders. People from all over present-day Europe would pay handsomely for the intoxicating stuff, trading slaves in return. Today, Italy exports more wine to the United States than any other country.
Classification System
The Italian system puts all wine produced within the nation's borders into one of four classifications:
Vino da Tavola (VdT), the lowest level of table wine. These may be made from grapes grown in various regions, and may indicate nothing more on their labels than whether the wine is red, white, or rosé.
Indicazione Geografia Tipica (IGT), which generally means a more esteemed level of table wine. This category was created to recognize superb wines that previously were relegated to the VdT category, including Super Tuscans.
Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC), meaning wines made from a specific and controlled area by following rules for permitted grape varieties, alcoholic content, and aging. There are several hundred DOCs, and wines that fall into this category will have the letters DOC plus their area listed on the label.
Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG), the highest level. There are fewer than forty DOCG areas in existence as of this writing. These wines follow all DOC rules plus additional, stricter controls, including analytical testing of composition.
Which classification is the best? It depends on your personal taste buds. Many a wine lover will argue that a VdT from an outstanding producer is just as good with any given meal as a DOCG — and likely much less expensive. As you taste Italian wines, you will notice that those ranked at the same level of classification are often very different from one another, even if they're from neighboring vineyards. It all boils down to the angle at which the sun hits the grapes, how much sunlight they get each day, in what kind of soil they are grown, and how much water reaches the roots — variables that can substantially, at least to a practiced connoisseur, change the aroma and flavor of wines made from grapes that were grown just a few rows apart.
In many cases, Italian wines reflect the cuisines of their regions. Wines in Sicily taste very different from those in Venice or Genoa. If you want to enjoy tastings as you travel, then consider focusing on wines from regions as opposed to DOCs or DOCGs. Don't simply order a Chianti because you're in Italy; if you're in Tuscany, for instance, try a Super Tuscan.
