While in Rome . . .
Some people really have a good life. I’m not complaining because mine is pretty awesome too. But dear friends that are going to Italy for “spring break” have it really good! Envy aside, of course I wish them the best in this paradise of incredible cultural depth, beauty, food and most of all, great wine. Honestly, if I had to choose between driving a Ferrari for a couple of hours or drinking a 95+point Barolo, I’m not sure what choice I would make. Italians can produce wines with a bouquet like no others – an intense, beautiful and intriguing aroma of flowers and spices fills the senses and evolve in the glass that will keep your attention forever. Then again, the sound of Ferrari’s exhaust is just as compelling.
Italy, like all great wine regions, can be challenging to navigate however. Being the second largest wine-producing nation in the world and just a few gallons behind France (Spain being third and the US is fourth), there is of course a great abundance of poor quality wines coming from this country too. And also like other great wine regions, there is a classification system in place that can be of some help when looking for what’s good and what’s not, but ultimately these classifications do not prevent bad wine from coming into the market. Generally speaking though, your chances of finding better wine improves by buying from a higher quality of classification.
From the bottom of the quality pyramid, moving up, look for these indications on the wine labels:
- Vino da Tavola - ‘table wine’ - truly the bottom of the barrel
- Indicazione Geografica Tipica - or IGT, meaning ‘indicative of wines typical from this geographic area’
- Denominazione di Origine Controllata – or DOC, meaning controlled denomination of origin
- Denominazione di Origine Controllata de Garantita – or DOCG, meaning controlled and guaranteed denomination of origin – highest quality designation in Italy
One exception to the classification rule in Italy is wine classified as IGT. What started out as mutiny by winemakers, turned into something exceptional. For many years Italians experimented with classic grape varietals such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon but many of those grapes were just not permitted to be used by the governing agencies. Winemakers continued however to make wine from these ‘illegal’ grapes but they could no longer use DOC or DOCG designations on their labels. These wines quickly became a huge success in the market and are now known as “Super Tuscans”. Regulatory agencies were eventually forced to recognize the popularity of Super Tuscans and thus created the IGT designation, which lends more prestige to the label than just a lowly table wine designation.
What’s great in Italy:
Barolo and Barbaresco from Piedmont, the Barbaresco being slightly more approachable at a younger age, but generally I would not drink either of them unless they are ten years old or more. Made from the Nebbiolo grape, these are truly the most amazing and collectable wines from this fabulous country, but not inexpensive. Look for 1996, 1997 or 1998s from Gaja (pronounced GUY-yah), Roberto Voerzio, Campè Della Spinetta, Bruno Giacosa, and Paolo Scavino. If not already in place, anyone drinking this stuff will soon find religion – these are incredible, life-altering wines!
Tuscany, or Tuscano may also be seen on the label, these wines are made from mostly Sangiovese grapes (san-joh-VAY-zeh). Major wine appellations in the Tuscany region are Bolgheri and Maremma, Brunello di Montalcino (my favorite), and Chianti and Chianti Classico. For Brunello di Montalcino look for 1997, 1999 or 2001 vintages from Fanti, Marchesi De’ Frescobaldi, Eredi Fuligni, Atesino and Antinori. These will rock your world and are less expensive generally than the Piedmont mentioned above. For other Tuscan (not including Brunello) look for 2001 and 2004 vintages from Tenuta, Fattoria Petrolo, Antinori, Sette Ponti and La Massa.
The good news and the bad news is this list doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of great wines made and available in Italy. As one of the oldest wine regions in the world, Italy lays claim to hundreds, if not thousands, of wine varietals growing wild that have yet to be classified or even discovered. There is no end in site as to what can come out of this remarkable wine country. So I’m just saying: While in Rome, do as the Romans do . . . and go to Piedmont and Tuscany for a once-in-a-lifetime wine experience.
David Boyer
Italy, like all great wine regions, can be challenging to navigate however. Being the second largest wine-producing nation in the world and just a few gallons behind France (Spain being third and the US is fourth), there is of course a great abundance of poor quality wines coming from this country too. And also like other great wine regions, there is a classification system in place that can be of some help when looking for what’s good and what’s not, but ultimately these classifications do not prevent bad wine from coming into the market. Generally speaking though, your chances of finding better wine improves by buying from a higher quality of classification.
From the bottom of the quality pyramid, moving up, look for these indications on the wine labels:
- Vino da Tavola - ‘table wine’ - truly the bottom of the barrel
- Indicazione Geografica Tipica - or IGT, meaning ‘indicative of wines typical from this geographic area’
- Denominazione di Origine Controllata – or DOC, meaning controlled denomination of origin
- Denominazione di Origine Controllata de Garantita – or DOCG, meaning controlled and guaranteed denomination of origin – highest quality designation in Italy
One exception to the classification rule in Italy is wine classified as IGT. What started out as mutiny by winemakers, turned into something exceptional. For many years Italians experimented with classic grape varietals such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon but many of those grapes were just not permitted to be used by the governing agencies. Winemakers continued however to make wine from these ‘illegal’ grapes but they could no longer use DOC or DOCG designations on their labels. These wines quickly became a huge success in the market and are now known as “Super Tuscans”. Regulatory agencies were eventually forced to recognize the popularity of Super Tuscans and thus created the IGT designation, which lends more prestige to the label than just a lowly table wine designation.
What’s great in Italy:
Barolo and Barbaresco from Piedmont, the Barbaresco being slightly more approachable at a younger age, but generally I would not drink either of them unless they are ten years old or more. Made from the Nebbiolo grape, these are truly the most amazing and collectable wines from this fabulous country, but not inexpensive. Look for 1996, 1997 or 1998s from Gaja (pronounced GUY-yah), Roberto Voerzio, Campè Della Spinetta, Bruno Giacosa, and Paolo Scavino. If not already in place, anyone drinking this stuff will soon find religion – these are incredible, life-altering wines!
Tuscany, or Tuscano may also be seen on the label, these wines are made from mostly Sangiovese grapes (san-joh-VAY-zeh). Major wine appellations in the Tuscany region are Bolgheri and Maremma, Brunello di Montalcino (my favorite), and Chianti and Chianti Classico. For Brunello di Montalcino look for 1997, 1999 or 2001 vintages from Fanti, Marchesi De’ Frescobaldi, Eredi Fuligni, Atesino and Antinori. These will rock your world and are less expensive generally than the Piedmont mentioned above. For other Tuscan (not including Brunello) look for 2001 and 2004 vintages from Tenuta, Fattoria Petrolo, Antinori, Sette Ponti and La Massa.
The good news and the bad news is this list doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of great wines made and available in Italy. As one of the oldest wine regions in the world, Italy lays claim to hundreds, if not thousands, of wine varietals growing wild that have yet to be classified or even discovered. There is no end in site as to what can come out of this remarkable wine country. So I’m just saying: While in Rome, do as the Romans do . . . and go to Piedmont and Tuscany for a once-in-a-lifetime wine experience.
David Boyer
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