I Love Italian Wine And Food - Reviewing The Whites

ently finished a wine tour of Italy’sIn chronological order we tasted a white wine
twenty administrative regions, briefly describingfrom the northern region of Emilia-Romagna, the
each region prior to tasting a representative winecentral region of Umbria, the southern region of
with food, and at least one imported ItalianCampagnia, the central region of Molise, the
cheese. I enjoyed the experience so much that Inorthern region of Friuli-Venezia Giuli, the southern
plan to repeat it, but only after doing somethingregion of Sicily, the northern region of Veneto,
similar for France and perhaps a few otherand finally the northern region of Tuscany while
countries. I am happy enough with Italian wine todescribing its neighboring region of Liguria. I was
continue to drink it for the rest of my days, butunable to find a Ligurian wine.
there are other wine-producing countries outThese eight wines varied in classification from
there, and other wines to drink. I am going tobasically unclassified table wines to IGT, DOC, and
give you a bit of a report on the white wines IDOCG. In short all Italian wine classifications were
encountered on this wine tour, but only after arepresented. IGT stands for Indicazione
quick summary of Italian white wines, as if suchGeografica Tipica, which may be translated as
an endeavor was possible. Look for a similarTypical Geographic Indication, in other words a
article on Italian red wines.wine that typifies its specific location. DOC stands
You wouldn’t be alone if you immediatelyfor Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which
think red when the subject of Italian wine ismay be translated as Denomination of Controlled
raised. In spite of extreme variations in climate,Origin. DOCG stands for Denominazione di Origine
soil, elevation, and other geographical conditions,Controllata e Guarantita, which may be translated
every single one of Italy’s twenty regionsas Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed
produces white wine. Of course the percentageOrigin.
varies widely from 84% in the central region ofThe wines varied in price from $6 (actually $8 for
Latium to 9% in the southern region of Calabria.a one-liter bottle) to $20. Interestingly enough
Many of the best-known Italian white wines comethey all contained from 12% to 12.5% alcohol.
from northern Italy.They were all 2004 or 2005 vintages. In contrast,
But the reality of Italy wine is more complex thanthe grapes used varied widely, including both
first meets the eye. Who would have thoughtinternational and strictly Italian varieties. Some
that Sicily, a southern Italian region if ever therewines included multiple grape varieties, others did
was one, produces almost as much white wine asnot. And now for the question that
red wine. Considering that Sicily holds first placeyou’ve been waiting for, what about the
for Italian wine production that’s a lot ofquality, and in particular the quality as a function of
white wine. In fact, Sicily’s annual whiteprice? That too varied widely, there were both
wine production is greater than the total winepositive and negative surprises. We overpaid and
production of all but five Italian regions. Not all of itthere were definitely some bargains. Which was
is good. But not all of it is bad, and in fact somewhich? Read the articles.
Sicilian white wine is excellent.