Italy. Casual about its winemaking and wine classification system, which was developed almost 30 years after France named theirs, there is no other country where wine is more integral to the culture. Wine is served with every meal and every region, or ZONE, in the country grows wine grapes.
|
ZONE
|
GRAPE VARIETIES
|
| Piedmont | Nebbiolo |
| Tuscany | Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Veneto | Corvina, Rondinella, Trebbiano, Garganega |
There
are 20 wine producing zones in Italy and
most of the fine Italian wines come from the north. Italy also produces
many inexpensive "jug wines" for everyday use. There are also
many grape varieties that can only be grown in Italy, which makes Italian
wines slightly less well known and therefore less predominant in the world
of wine.
Italian wine classification and naming system, or APPELLATION, falls under the European Union classification system that is separated into two levels. The top level contains Quality Wines Produced in a Specific Region, QWPSR, and the second level contains table wines. Wines are further classified under Italian wine law.
