Italian Wine Labels
Italian Wine Labels can be difficult to understand.
Below is a some basic information to help you, including definitions of terms commonly used on Italian labels.
Greve in Chianti
* Italian wines are categorized by quality (theoretically) using a regional designation system.* There are just two legal requirements for Italian wine labels – that the producer (winery) be listed and that the regional designation be listed. You will usually also see the region (appellation) name with the regional designation just below that. Learn all about these regional quality designations (VGT, IDT, DOC, DOCG) on our
Italian Wine Regions
page. * There is no requirement that states where on the label this information needs to be placed. * There is no requirement that the type of grape(s) grown to make the wine be listed.
So, what do you need to know if you want to be able to choose a good Italian wine by reading its label? Answer - become familiar with Italian wine producers and the type of grapes they grow, and with Italian grape growing regions. Many experts would say Italian wine producers are the best indication of quality.
Here are some examples of Italian wine labels using the DOCG designation:
Here are other important terms you’ll want to know that could be on an Italian wine label:
Abboccato or Amabile: Medium sweet
Amaro: Very dry
Annata: Vintage (year the grapes were grown)
Asciutto: Bone dry
Azienda Agricola: Estate grown - using its own grapes in the production of its wines
Azienda Vinicola: A producer who buys grapes to make their wine
Azienda Vitivinicola: A combination of the two, using some estate grown vines and some purchased to makes their wines
Bianco: A white wine
Botte: Cask
Bottiglia: Bottle
Bricco/Bric: A vineyard on a high, steep ridge thought to be of higher quality
Casa Vinicola: Wine firm
Cascina – Farmhouse or Estate
Chiaretto: A rose wine
Classico: Originating from an old, historic place of origin such as the center of a DOC region; therefore a typical, well-respected wine
Dolce: Sweet
Fattoria: A medium sized wine growing property or estate
Fermentazione Naturale: Naturally sparkling wine
Frizzante: Lightly sparkling
Imbottigliato: Bottled
Imbottigliato all'origine: Estate bottled
Invecchiato: Aged
Liquoroso: Strong, sweet, often fortified wine
Maso or Masseria: Estate
Metodo Charmat: Tank method used for sparkling wine
Metodo Classico or Metodo Tradizonale: Traditional method, bottle-fermented sparkling wine
Passito or Passita: A generally strong, sweet wine made from part-dried grapes
Podere: A small wine growing property or estate
Produttore: A wine producer
Recioto: Like Passito but only part made with dried grapes
Riserva: Aged more than usual by the winemaker before release to market
Ronchi: Terraced
Ronco: A hillside vineyard
Rosso: Red
Secco: Dry
Semisecco: Medium dry
Stravecchio: Very old
Spumante: Sparkling
Sorì: A high quality vineyard site, generally south facing
Superiore: Made using high standards of production
Tenuta: A large wine growing property or estate
Uva: Grape
Uvaggio: A mixture of grapes
Valle: Valley
Vecchio: Old
Vendemmia: Also means vintage
Vigna or Vigneto: A single vineyard
Vigniaiolo or Viticoltore: Wine grower
Vino Novello: Wine that is considered new, in the bottle less than one year
Vitigno: Variety of grape
Vivace: Slightly sparkling
We hope these Italian wine label descriptions have been helpful and that next time you're shopping for Italian wine, you'll feel more informed.
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