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 hrough the hard times of wars and depression, Italy became one of the world's leading purveyors of low cost wine, often sold in containers of outlandish shapes and sizes. Though such practices were profitable for some, they did little for the image of Italian wines abroad.
For decades responsible producers had been trying to tighten regulations and put the emphasis on premium quality. But it was a not until the denominazione d'origine laws were passed in the 1960s that a new climate of dignity and trust was created, providing the basis for what came to known as the "modern renaissance" of Italian wine. |
| Since Vernaccia di San Gimignano became the first DOC in 1966, the list has grown to include nearly 300 zones, delimited geographically, within which a multitude of wines are controlled for authenticity. (For more detailed information about the Denominazione di Origine Controllata classification system see the sections Appellations and Quality Laws & Labels).
DOC/DOCG wines represent less than 20 percent of the total. Beyond them come a growing number of wines that qualify under the recently introduced category of Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT). The typical category applies to wines that range from locally admired to to internationally acclaimed. |
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