Decoding the Language of Italian Wine Laws From IGT to DOP
by Geralyn Brostrom, CWE, IWP, VIA Italian Wine Expert / images courtesy of Geralyn and Jack Brostrom, authors of Into Italian Wine: The Italian Wine Professional Certification Course. EDITOR’S NOTE: Napa Valley Wine Academy is the only school in America offering the Italian Wine Professional course online. Learn more about becoming an Italian wine expert from the comforts of your own living room.
“…the more than 400 denominations provide the diversity to make Italian wines so compelling, but at the same time make it so difficult for the average consumer to embrace. Add to this the Italian penchant for complication as applied to the laws of Italian wines and you have a perfect storm that causes consumers to throw their hands up in desperation of ever being able to master such a maddening level of complexity.”That recent quote, from Leonardo LoCascio, founder and former CEO of the Winebow Group, just about sums it up. Italian wine laws can be a conundrum—but understanding them doesn’t have to be. Here are 7 tips to help you decode Italian wines laws, which will also make it easier for you to choose–and ultimately enjoy–Italian wine.
- The Umbrella
- Pyramid Scheme?
- The Good News is This is Not New News
a) b) c) d)
- Acceptance: Getting Into the Club
- But Why All These Rules?
- To tie a specific agricultural product to the place where it was developed over time;
- To prevent producers in other areas from taking advantage of and perhaps damaging a traditional product’s reputation;
- To ensure that items for sale are typical of that product and meet consumer expectations.
- Not Everybody Can be in the Top Tier
- Interpreting the Language
e)
f)
- Back to the Pyramid Scheme: Italian Wine Law
- g) Denominazione d’Origine Controllata or DOC is the main designation at the PDO level.
- h) Denominazione d’Origine Controllata e Garantita or DOCG is a higher level that is based on higher production standards and therefore, in principle, better quality.
- i) Italy’s traditional term for PGI is Indicazione Geografica Tipica or IGT.
Wineries can use either the traditional term or the official EU term on their labels. Because the DOCG level is more difficult to achieve, it is more prestigious than DOC, so wines that qualify for a DOCG denomination will continue to use that term instead of DOP on the label. However, because of the many variables involved, DOCG wines are not always superior to DOC wines. There is less incentive to continue using DOC and IGT on wine labels, but many wineries prefer the traditional terms, so both the old and new terms will be seen on labels.
Now you should be a little closer to understanding the Italian wine law puzzle!