Italy has complicated and venerable traditions regarding the wine growing regions of Italy, the varietals of grapes grown, and the nature of Italian wines, blended or varietal. Back in the day, Italian wines fell into one of three classifications:
Vino da Tavola (VDT) or "Table wine" in Italian, and it means exactly what it says. This is wine made in Italy from Italian grapes, meant for immediate (or soon thereafter) consumption.
Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) and Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) are used to label Italian wines that are made from specific grapes from specific regions. The DOCG wines must also pass a blind taste test, to certify that they are exactly as described. Both of these labels were created in an effort to draw attention to Italian regional wines, and the quality of Italian wines. Read more