Italian Wine Guide for Beginners

italian-wineItalians have managed to successfully plant a lot of dominant, international varieties of grapes.  However, if you really want to taste the best that Italian wine has to offer, then you will want to try the country’s local wine where you will find the true flavor of Italy.  These wines will taste especially good whenever they are aged.  It can be a daunting task for non-Italians to completely understand the labels and choose a good wine though.  So, beginners should take some time to learn what they can about Italian wines and then talk to someone knowledgeable about Italian wines. A waiter or waitress at an Italian restaurant can be very helpful. Afterwards, you can then purchase Italian wine yourself.  Here is a little information to get you started about the four classification categories for Italian wines.

DOCG Wines

This is the highest quality of wine.  There are hundreds of different wines in this category. The wine taste is very consistent. There are highly stringent requirements. This wine is expensive and saved for special occasions and events.

DOC Wines

This is the equivalent of the French AOC classification.  These wines adhere to certain rules, as defined by the government.  For instance, the grapes will have been grown in a predetermined area and be prepared according to specific rules so that the unique characteristics of this wine are preserved.

IGT Wines

This is the classification that is used for table and local wines.  You will find some great wines in this category that didn’t want to adhere to the stringent rules of DOC and DOCG wines.

VDT Wines

In this class you will find the lower end wines that are mostly table wines that are produced within certain regions of Italy. This is common wine that may be drunk or used for cooking.

How To Choose A Good Wine

Once you know what the various Italian labels mean you will be able to choose a great Italian wine.  For an inexpensive, but good, Italian wine you will want to choose one from within the IGT category.  However, there are also some great table wines that go really well with Italian food.  If you are going to make lasagna or another Italian dish, though, you will want a wine from the IGT category too.  Of course, these table wines are a bit sweeter and have a light body, which also makes them great for first time wine drinkers.

Appreciating Expensive Italian Wine

Anyone who wants something that’s just a little bit more expensive, then you will find a lot of different wines (nearly 2,000 of them) that you can choose from.  This is all thanks to the varied terrain and ever-changing climate that is found throughout Italy. The most famous ones come from Tuscany and include Sngiovese blended with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Syrah.  As was aforementioned, these are a bit more expensive, which is thanks to their exotic flavors and tastes.

The other high-end Italian wines include Amarone, Barolo, Barbaresco and Pinot Grigo.  All of these wines have a unique aroma and taste.  They are also some of the best wines that Italy has to offer to the world.

You can order take out from an authentic Italian restaurant like Mama Jennie’s Italian Restaurant and Catering in Miami, Florida to enjoy a good bottle of Italian wine and dinner in the comfort of your home.

Share and Enjoy:
  • Print this article!
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Turn this article into a PDF!
  • Technorati
  • Twitter
Professional Catering on Any Budget

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,