Italian Wine Labels
and The Importance of Italy's Wine Regions

No matter how much experience you have in the world of wine, Italian wine labels can be hard to master. They contain a lot of information in a small amount of space, and of course it's all in a different language that isn't easy to understand. To help in your search of the best Italian wine, you need a better understanding of Italian wine labels so you can obtain as much information as possible about your potential purchase.

Types of Labels for Italian Wine

The most important characteristic you have to learn about Italian wine labels is that they all contain information on the classification system and ranking system that Italy uses for its wines. There are now a total of four different classifications.

The first of which is Vino de Tavola or Table Wine. The only thing you're guaranteed of when you drink this wine is that it's from Italy. It may receive this label because it is not following specific wine laws and guidelines or because it is of inferior quality. However, that does not mean that wines with a VDT classification are bad at all, only that they are less regulated and specified.

The wine regions Italy assigns are very important:

Moving up the rankings is IGT, or Indicazione Geografica Tipica. A wine receives this label when it comes from a specific wine making region within Italy however does not apply classic wine laws or regulations. There are many high quality IGT wines. This classification level is relatively new, and is important because before, many high quality wines from famous regions were being lumped into the VDT category.

The best Italian wine regions:

The next two classifications fall into the European Union classification of Quality Wine Produced in a Specific Region, or QWSPR. The lower of these two is Denominazione di Origine Controllata, or DOC. This kind of wine comes from a very specific wine region and follows the grape varietal guidelines.

DOCG, or Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita is the highest classification, coming from a very specific region, following wine laws and passing blind taste and quality tests. These wines are typically the most expensive in part because of the quality and in part because of the government regulation involved.

So What's the Best Italian Wine?

So clearly Italian wine labels contain a lot of information that is important, but as you can see it can be hard to understand. So what does it mean for you, and what's the best Italian wine? If you're looking for guaranteed quality, a DOGC wine is the highest classification. However, it's Vino de Tavola, technically the lowest category, that Italians will typically drink themselves due to lower costs.

What are the best Italian wines for you?Therefore, the best Italian wine is really the one that fits into your budget and matches your taste. Worry less about classifications and more about grape varietals or wine styles that you enjoy. The more you drink Italian wine, the more you will learn about Italian wine labels. In addition to this important classification system, they also will tell you the region and grape varietals and other useful details. Ultimately however, Italian wine labels are only a guide to help you stay within your favored tastes.

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Italian Wine Guide
Some of the most popular wines in the world are from Italy, and there are many different regions and varietals. This Italian wine guide education is of the basics to keep it fun.

Italian Wine History
The history of Italian wine and the history of wine in general for red and white wines extends back several millennium and offers a glimpse into many different civilizations and cultures.

Wine Regions Italy
You made be interested in the wine regions Italy has. Italian wine regions are found throughout the country from Sicily to Tuscany, and can be very diverse producing white and red wines.

Fine Italian Wine
You can buy fine Italian wine online to enjoy serious cost savings on the best red wine types that a wine lover would want.

How to Buy Italian Wine
Everybody wants to buy Italian wine. Each of the Italian wine regions has fine producers of the best wines available to buy online.

Buy Italian Wine Online
Looking to buy Italian wine online? Fine Italian red wine of the month club is one way to get a great selection and lower prices. You can also buy a single bottle from the best regions.

Best Italian Wines
The best Italian wines are made from varietals like Chianti from Sangiovese grapes or Barbaresco from Nebbiolo grapes. The Super Tuscan wines, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Verdicchio are also popular.

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