The DOC Designations
There are twenty regions in Italy and each region has its own wine zones, or appellations, such as Chianti in Toscana. The Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) controls Italian wine production and labeling. The wine may be given one of four classifications. The various levels do not necessarily indicate quality, but more of a level of historic and stylistic authenticity.
- Vino da Tavola (VdT) is very general, meaning any combination of grapes from anywhere in Italy.
- Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) indicates the grapes were grown in a specific geographic area.
- Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) and Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) wines each have their own specific laws for production, i.e. Chianti Classico has requirements different than that of Chianti, but they may include such factors as geographic region, grapes used (including percentages), alcohol content, maximum wine volume produced per hectare, and aging requirements.
- The ‘G’ in DOCG means the wine has gone through a tasting panel to guarantee the authenticity of the wine type.
