Italy
Italy is home to some of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world. Etruscans and Greek settlers produced wine in the country long before the Romans started developing their own vineyards in the second century BC. Two thousand years later, Italy remains one of the world's foremost producers, responsible for approximately one-fifth of world wine production in 2005.
Wine is a popular drink in Italy. Grapes are grown in almost every part of Italy, with more than 1 million vineyards under cultivation. Most wine-making in Italy is done in modern wineries. However, villagers who make wine for their own use sometimes still tread the grapes with their bare feet, until the juice is squeezed out. They believe this ancient method still makes the best wine.Italy's classification system is a modern one that reflects current realities.
It has four classes of wine, with two falling under the EU category Quality Wine Produced in a Specific Region (QWPSR) and two falling under the category of 'table wine'. The four classes are:
- Vino da Tavola -The appellation indicates either an inferior quaffing wine, or one that does not follow current wine law. Some quality wines do carry this appellation.
- Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) - Denotes wine from a more specific region within Italy.
- Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) – The zone is more specific than in IGT, and the permitted grapes are also better defined.
- Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) - The wine must pass a blind taste test for quality in addition to conforming to the strict legal requirements of the area.
Presently, there are 120 IGT zones, 311 DOC plus 32 DOCG appellations.