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Italy
is a country where everyday wine is less expensive
than Coca-Cola or milk, and where nearly every family
owns some vineyards or has some relatives who supply
most of their daily needs - which are not great. Even
though they live in one of the world's largest wine-growing
countries, Italians drink relatively little, and usually
only at meals.
If
Italy has an infinite variety of regional dishes,
there is an equally bewildering array of regional
wines, many of which are rarely exported because they
are best drunk young. Even wines that are well known
and often-derided clichés abroad, like Chianti
or Lambrusco, can be wonderful new experiences when
tasted on their home turf. Unless you're dining at
a restaurant with an exceptional cellar, do as the
Italians do and order a carafe of the local wine (vino
locale or vino della casa). You will not often be
wrong.
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DOC
and DOCG Wines
Most
Italian wines are named after the grape and the district
they come from. If the label says DOC (Denominazione
di Origine Controllata e Garantita) is allegedly a
more rigorous classification, indicating that the
wines not only conform to DOC standards, but are tested
by government appointed inspectors. At present few
wines have been granted this status, but the number
is planned 
to
increase steadily. Classico means that a wine comes
from the oldest part of the zone of production, though
it is not necessarily better than a non-Classico.
Riserva, superiore or speciale denotes a wine that
has been aged longer and is more alcoholic.
The
regions of Piedmont, Tuscany, and Veneto produce Italy's
most prestigious red wines, while Friuli-Venezia Giulia
and Trentino-Alto Adige are the greatest regions for
white wines. King of the Tuscans is the mighty Brunello
di Montalcino (DOCG), an expensive blockbuster. Pinot
Grigio and the unusual Tocai make some of the best
whites. But almost every other corner of Italy has
its vinous virtues, be it the Lambrusco of Emilia-Romagna,
the Orvieto of Umbria, the Taurasi of Campania or
the Frascati of Lazio. The well known Valpolicella,
Bardolino and Soave are produced on the shores of
Lake Garda. Even in the south, with much of its stronger,
rougher wine shipped north for blending, you will
find some wonderful varieties, such as the Sicilian
Corvo (red and white).
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Familiar
Terms
Other
Italian wine words are spumante (sparkling), frizzante
(petillant), amabile (semi-sweet), abboccato (medium
dry), passito (strong sweet wine made from raisins).
Rosso is red, bianco white; between the two extremes
lie rubiato (ruby), rosato, chiaretto or cerasuolo
(rose). Secco is dry, dolce sweet, liquoroso fortified
and sweet. Vendemmia means vintage, a cantina is a
cellar, and an enoteca is a wine-shop or museum where
you can taste and buy wines.
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