DOCG VS DOC Explained: Italian wine classification

Italy is one of the oldest and most renowned wine-producing countries in the world, with a history that dates back thousands of years. The Italian wine classification system was designed in 1930 to help consumers understand the quality and origin of the wines they're buying.

Let's break down these classifications and see if we can make any sense out of it:

Italian wines are classified into four main categories:

1. Vino da Tavola (VdT) - Table Wine
2. Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) - Typical Geographical Indication
3. Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) - Controlled Designation of Origin
4. Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) - Controlled and Guaranteed Designation of Origin

Let's start with Vino da Tavola, or table wine. These are produced with authorized grapes but don't necessarily adhere to specific regional or quality regulations. Also, the color of the wine and the year are not necessarily mentioned on the label. This is the least amount of information we have on the classification pyramid.

Next, we have IGT, or Indicazione Geografica Tipica or IGP for the EU regulations. These wines offer more regional character than Vino da Tavola and can include some innovative winemaking practices. Basically, it’s Vino da Tavola but the producer is working within the regulations of a Disciplinare which is connecting the wine to the place. For IGT wines also, the producer may or may not mention the grape, the year and the color.

Personal comment on these first two: a lot of artisanal producers in the past years have decided to withdraw from any type of denomination because they didn’t like the limits imposed by it. This is a double edged sword because it makes it extremely difficult for the consumer to understand which of these wines to buy: this bottle could be the product of hard, natural, artisanal work by amazing people farming with love or pure crap full of chemicals.In this case it’s definitely the first one, but we’re in a situation where the documentation and the legal aspect fails and the only thing we have coming to our rescue it storyelling (which is why you should join more Wine Clubs, starting from ours).

Moving up, we reach DOC, or Denominazione di Origine Controllata. DOP for the EU. These wines must meet strict regulations regarding grape varieties, production methods, and aging requirements. This is a considerable step up from IGT: the areas of production are smaller, the wine produced must meet tasting criteria and the year must be shown on the label. Examples of Piemonte DOC wines: Barbera d’Alba, Boca, Carema, Cisterna, Colli Tortonesi, Dolcetto d’Alba, Freisa d’Asti, Grignolino d’Asti, Nebbiolo d’alba and Verduno Pelaverga.

At the top of the classification pyramid is DOCG, or Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita. A DOC wine zone can become DOCG only after 7 years. These wines must pass even more rigorous standards, the DOCG areas are smaller and tasting panels provide stamps of approval during winemaking as well as before bottling. Some examples of DOCG wine produced in Piemonte are: Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero, Alta Langa, Barbera d’Asti, Dogliani, Gattinara, Ghemme and Nizza.

So, is DOCG wines better than vino da tavola? In theory yes, but unfortunately the classification does not provide too much certainty in terms of quality but only in terms of controls and regulations. There’s a lot of bad DOCG wines out there as there are some IGT or even Vino da Tavola producers who will blow your mind.

Use these denominations as a baseline but always look for a direct contact, someone that knows the area well and can not only find the best wines but also tell you the story of the people and the land behind them.

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