hroughout history, the inhabitants of the Italian peninsula have seldom known a period of tranquility that has endured for any length of time. The 19th century and first half of the 20th were exceptionally tormented eras. In such conditions, it is understandable that the country's agriculture lagged behind in the effort to adopt more scientific and modern methods of cultivation and production. There were enterprising producers, many of whom shipped their wines to foreign markets and received awards for the quality of their products. And some regions showed commendable initiative in adopting regulatory measures that, while they were far from sweeping, laid the groundwork for progress. For example, the Grand Duke of Tuscany drew the boundaries for the production zones of important regional wines in 1716, creating the first official appellation in the history of winemaking.
The real revolution in the Italian wine sector began in the 1960's. When the European Common Market coalesced in the decade and a half following the end of World War II, Italy was assigned as its principal task the provision of darkly colored bulk wines with high alcohol levels for blending with the weaker wines of the north-in the country itself and in Europe beyond the Alps. At that time the European Economic Community assumed that consumption of wine throughout the continent would remain the same or even increase. However, lifestyles changed rapidly and, as a result, consumption declined abruptly, dropping to less than half of postwar levels, while the market for bulk wine shrank accordingly. In addition, many Italian producers rejected the idea of turning out second-class wines regarded as suitable only for blending with other beverages.
In the early 1960's, Italy abandoned the sharecropper system, which had been the organizational model in the agricultural sector since the Middle Ages. The action set off a massive exodus from the countryside with many thousands of farmers and farm workers streaming into the cities where, with the "Italian economic miracle" booming along, they could find work in factories that was more secure and less onerous than farming. More ambitious grape growers compensated for the loss of laborers by mechanizing operations, introducing tracked tractors, for example, which could function on the slopes of hills. Changes in the layout of vineyards to accommodate the new equipment radically altered the appearance of the countryside in many parts of Italy.
The abolition of sharecropping was accompanied by the creation in 1963 of the controlled wine appellation system, known in Italian as Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC). Experts quickly set to work implementing the DOC law by surveying the wines made throughout the country and writing production codes for each of those whose producers requested certification. It was a Herculean task because Italy cultivates more varieties of grapes than any other country and produces a bewildering array of wines. Demand for certification was brisk and the authors of the production codes worked at high speed.
The production codes delimit the zones in which the wines originate and specify type (or types, since a denomination may include a range of versions), color, grape varieties, minimum alcohol levels, maximum yields in grapes per vine per hectare and wine from grapes, basic sensory characteristics, maturation (in wood or otherwise and possibly in sealed tanks), required minimum periods of aging and special designations identifying particular sub-zones, such as classico or superiore. Producers' consortia, already existing or formed as a consequence of the adoption of the DOC system, are generally charged with overseeing production in each zone to ensure compliance with the regulations. A National DOC Wine Committee, established by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, must approve all new production codes or any changes to the existing regulations. The DOC law also established registers, usually maintained by the local Chamber of Commerce, in which all growers and winemakers must enter their vineyards and report their production of grapes and wines. The national (carabinieri) and local police forces and anti-fraud units inspect and regulate wineries and wine shipments.
Because of the haste with which the production codes were drawn up, especially in the early days of the DOC system, the compilers tended to base the rules on traditional practices, which in many cases were outmoded. Many producers chafed at what they regarded as the narrowness of the production codes, which they argued prevented them from adopting modern methods and satisfying current market requirements. In response, the National DOC Committee began to approve revisions of numerous production codes, while the law governing the entire system was amended several times and entirely updated in 1992 with passage of Law No. 164.
Today, more than 300 wines have qualified for DOC status since the system was introduced in Italy (see list). And the authorities in the sector continue to approve new production codes, although not at the pace of earlier years. Despite the proliferation of appellations and 40 years of increasing familiarity with the system among wine consumers worldwide, however, there is still much confusion about the real meaning of the term Denominazione di Origine Controllata. Many consumers assume that it refers to quality and in a sense it does, however only more knowledgeable consumers know that it refers to the guarantee of origin of the grapes and adherence to the methods specified in the regulations governing the production of the wine.
The DOC law has resulted in a substantial improvement in the quality of Italian wines. It has encouraged producers to invest in land and equipment, to conduct or sponsor research and to compete with the finest wines of other producing countries. Many of the 2,000 types of wine currently covered by the DOC regulations are still largely unknown outside of Italy or, in some cases, their production zones. The DOC has encouraged producers to look beyond the local market and the steady improvement in their wines' quality has enabled them to meet world competition.
