Italian Wine: The Most Distinguished Wine in the World

Italian wine is the lustrous high-up of Italy’s reputation; you can name it as a pure fantasy, pure poetry, historical reference or delicious aromatic brand with the worldwide praise. The extensiveness of Italy's thousands of home-grown grape varieties offers an inexhaustible penchant of Italian wine for wine-lovers throughout the world, as it has different flavors, aromas and colors that can be consumed with any type of meal and at any occasion.

Whole Italy is divided into four regions that are Northeast regions, Northcentral, Northwest region and Central regions. Differences in their climates and geography have lead to the production of varieties of grapes like Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Merlot, nebbiolo. Thereby Italy is known as the provenance of the most distinct, complex, and stylish wines.

History of Italy's wine dates back some 4,000 years to when prehistoric peoples pressed wild grapes into juice and they fermented into wine accidentally. The ancient Greeks, Romans and Etruscans were elusive and serene practitioners of the art of winemaking in the hills of central Italy. In the 17th or 18th centuries, Italians and other Europeans established the making of wine as science rather than aura, and since the early 1980s, the rise in Italian wine quality is really amazing.

850.000 hectors surface area has covered by vineyards in Italy and more than 1 million estates provides 60 million hectoliters annual production of Italian wine. The nature of the place - the influence of its sunshine and mountain air, soil and climate- favors Italy to be an almost natural culture and growth of wine, and that’s the reason that there are a myriad of classified regions producing a diverse array of wines.
The character and the quality of Italian wines depend upon soil composition and texture, climate, sun and water quality in a region that produces a unique style of wine, which cannot be duplicated elsewhere.

Sandy or siliceous terrains often produce fresh flavored and aromatic Italian wines that are loved by young, while calcareous clay soils generate richer and suitable for aging wines, favorite of elders. For most quality Italian wines, hillsides are considered more suitable than plains. The roman author Pliny has praised the merits of the wine of these lands of Italy.

The classification of Italian wines is characterized by three factors of major significance—origin, inherent quality and purity. According to appellation (refers to a viticultural region) -- DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) indicates that the particular wine is made in the controls for that region, represented by the geographical name of a delimited production area which has very limited maximum yields per hectare. DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) indicates authentication and of exceptional quality, and historical relevance of that wine.

IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) is explained as "Typical Geographic Indication," and V.d.T (Vini da Tavola or Vino da Tavola) are known as Table Wines. The DOCG wines purportedly with an extra degree of quality are awarded as the finest Italian wine.
The classification system according to the regions--the three northeastern regions are known collectively as the Tre Venezie or simply the Venezie, where more than a third of the DOC Italian wines are produced. Veneto and Northeast are well known for the production of white wine like Reisling, Pinot grigio, Pinot Bianco and some of the other less known varieties are Lugana, Franciacorta, and Bianco di Custoza etc.

Where as, the five regions of north-central and northwest Italy cover most of the great arc of the Alps and Apennines and produce about 20% of Italy's total wine. Red wines of the Piedoment in the north-west are known one of the finest Italian wine that cover Barolo and Barbaresco.
In central Italy, the six regions between the historical hills at the heart of the peninsula possess to be the nation's most extensive natural conditions for fine wine.

The Wine Spectator says, "The wine region in Central Italy continues to be one of the most exciting in Europe, producing ever-improving wines at every level of the market—from simple Sangioveses for less than $7.00 to majestic Merlots and Cabernet Sauvignons pushing $100.00 per bottle."

Italian wines are also made of some of the rarest grapes that are never heard of, like Ribollo Gialla, Fiano, Negroamaro, Greco and many more. It’s not easy to find the well known grapes varieties, like Chardonnay, cabernet, sauvignon etc in Italy. Moreover Italian wines are generally made from a single variety of grapes but some times also produced from a blend of grapes to make more exclusive verity of wine.

Some of the Aperitif and dessert Italian wines are Vin Santo, Malvasia, Passito, Moscato and many more. Where as Frizzante, Spumnante or mosso are the bouncy, sparking or fizzy Italian wines. Rauscedo in Friuli is the place, where world’s largest wine nursery is situated.

 

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