Worldwide, Italy is unrivaled in terms of diversity of wine production.  As a nation that has been producing wine since the Etruscans and Mycenaeans first introduced vine plantings in Southern Italy, it is a country rich in viticultural history. Yet,  despite more than twenty-three centuries of wine production, it was not until 1861 that the twenty previously autonomous regions of Italy became a unified nation,  and not unt il 1963 was a unified system of  control over Italian wine production put into place. This, in itself, makes it easy to understand why there is such a diversity of varietals and styles – and so many names to confuse along the way.  For instance, if you found yourself in Tuscany, you might be enjoying a Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, with its large tannic structure, and solid, earthy and red cherry characteristics. Yet if you travel a little bit further south and east, you may find yourself happening upon a glass of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, and be a little confused. This would appear to be a red wine with a similar name, yet the characteristics would be so much lighter in body and tannic structure, and the fruit so much more forward, that you would have trouble discerning how the two could be the same wine. The easy answer is that they are not! Montepulcaino is both the name of an area in the region of Tuscany, and a grape in the region of Abruzzo. This may not make any sense to you or I on the surface, but if viewed from the standpoint of the centuries of previous autonomy for each of these respective areas, it may make a bit more sense.

From this complicated history comes the debate of the current status of Italian wine law and the wine quality structure developed in Italy. To fully grasp where we are, we first have to understand the underpinnings of Italian wine law.Until the 19^th century, a majority of the wine produced in Italy was purely for local consumption. The tenets of wine selection were based in large part on the wine’s local reputation. Many ancient documents note that there were identifying markers on bottles as far back as Roman times; which meant that, in theory, a consumer would have been able to identify basic information such as producer, geographical area and style in selecting a wine. There are also many reports of fraud and dilution of product being common, just as in any other industry subject to the laws of supply and demand. As most wine was consumed locally, this did not have a profound effect on Italy until the Industrial Revolution brought about steam powered transport, and with it the export markets and the need for a more formal form of quality guarantee.

In 1716, Cosimo III de’ Medici , Grand Duke of Tuscany, provided the world with the first defined and protected wine region of the world - Chianti. Unfortunately, the majority of Italy did not follow suit. Reasons vary from the lack of a need for such regulation, to the imposed regulations limiting profits of the larger bulk production bottlers. Regardless of the various arguments, it was not until more than two centuries later that Italy saw unified formal regulation with the laws set in place in 1963. The impetus for change was led by Senator Paolo Desana and the Ministry of Agriculture that brought with it three regulated tiers of production.

If you think of Italian wine production in terms of a pyramid, the base and area of largest production would be the Vino da Tavola. At this most basic level, regulations stipulate only that the fruit must be of Italian origin, in addition to any general health and fiscal regulations which are applicable to all wine categories. Wines labeled VdT generally indicate a quaffing or simple table wine for local consumption. Today, few of the wines at this production level find their way to an export market.

Under the regulations implemented in 1963, the next quality level was Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC). At this level, laws were introduced to regulate geographical origins of the wines, the varietals used, alcohol levels, maximum yields to encourage higher concentration of quality fruit, viticultural and vinification practices, as well as both bottle and barrel aging. These regulations vary with each area and style of wine.. The regulations were determined by what was historically accepted to be typical and of good quality in each respective area. This brought about two levels of complication. First, this left a gaping void between the VdT and DOC levels. More  adventurous producers that were making quality wines with varietals and/or blends that were not traditionally grown and produced in their home regions were not being taken into account, and forced into the lowest category of quality. This system also failed to take into account one of the principles that allowed French wine to flourish in reputation in the global market: the idea of overall regional typicity and style. While trying to please each individual area and its people/producers, the system failed to take into account the somewhat confusing nature of so many individual areas of quality. One could argue these regulations have in some ways encouraged bulk production, as even the most productive grape varieties and geographical areas on the outskirts of famous appellations were recognized with classifications. While in other areas of agriculture this may be perceived as a positive, within the world of wine it is the philosophy of concentration of quality fruit and strictly limited yields that produce the greatest wines of the world.

The current highest level of quality Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG), making up just a fraction of today’s total production, existed only in theory at its initial inception as the top quality tier.. With even stricter guidelines regarding the seven categories of regulation previously mentioned. (particularly in regards to yields), this level also demanded that wines be put through several more rigorous steps to insure quality. The wines are subjected to an in-depth chemical analysis by laboratories recognized by the Italian federal government to insure that the wines are in strict accordance with stipulations put in place by the DOCG in question. This helps to eliminate anyone trying to fraudulently capitalize on using the name of these high end wines. The wines are then put through a blind tasting panel to insure that the wines are also meeting specified sensory standards in accordance with each particular style of wine.. If the wine passes every component of the regulation and has been a DOC for a minimum of five years, as well as having acquired a “reputation and commercial impact both at home and at an international level”, it is then eligible to become a DOCG. Each producer is then given government seals that are placed across the cap or cork of the bottles. These tabs are heavily regulated and each producer is only given the amount needed to bottle the amount of wine that should have been produced based on the total allowed production for each type of wine. As one can infer from all of the various requirements, it was some time before the first DOCGs materialized. In 1980, we saw the birth of the first DOCGs: Chianti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano,  Brunello di Montalcino (all Sangiovese based wines in Tuscany), Barolo and Barbaresco (both Nebbiolo based wines from Piedmont).

As much as these laws helped to create a unified and structured system, there were still the two major problems we discussed earlier. As its reputation for quality wine production continued to depend on the international market, the rise of the Supertuscan was essentially the straw that broke the camels back. This new style of wines made change in the regulatory system inevitable. Produced from varietals not recognized by the DOC system (Vitis vinifera not indigenous to Italy, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot), these wines were excelling internationally as their quality conscious producers were self-governing their own production systems; all the while being forced to label their wines as mere Vini da Tavola. A system that allowed wines to be labeled only at the lowest level of quality, yet fetching higher prices and commanding superior reputations to wines existing at the highest quality tiers was clearly a large discredit to the current system.

From this staggering reality, Minister of Agriculture Giovanni Goria led a charge few believed would see fruition. Only 10 weeks after being appointed to his position in 1992, the New Disciplinary Code for Denomination of Wines of Origin was ratified by the Senate. Law 164, now known simply as Goria’s law, added a new tier to the previous system as well as changed regulation at the three prior existing levels to make way for this new category. Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) is the category that now exists between the VdT and DOC levels. In the sweeping changes, this is also when we saw VdT stripped of the ability to label their wines with any geographical origination other than simply the country of Italy. This was meant to create a buffer for the wines that were being produced at higher quality levels than the VdT, yet did not qualify for the DOC level because requirements were dictated by traditional Italian wine making philosophy.

Currently, the system is a work in progress. Quality not quantity is become the driving force again in this amazing country rich with so much diversity in wine. But because we still don’t have those easily recognizable larger areas to easily identify wines stylistically, here in the States it can sometimes seem daunting when visiting your local wine shop to discern what is what among all of the various Italian labels lining the shelves. Thanks to the rigorous efforts of various organizations who believe there is a need to safeguard the identity and integrity truly exceptional Italian food and wine, and believe thorough education is the most effective path, American perception of Italian wines are changing. Both privately funded (Tony May’s non-profit educational group Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani), and publicly funded organizations (the Food and Wine Division of the Italian Trade Commission Istituto nazionale per il Commercio Estero) work to provide information and accessibility to the constantly changing landscape of Italian wine production and regulation. They also work daily as a mediator between two worlds with vastly different perceptions that share the common love of Italian wine. This, in turn, is an encouragement to Italy to continue to strive for even higher levels of quality production.

So choose your favorite style and raise your glass to all the passion and centuries of history contained within that glass!

Salute

Vanessa Price