Azienda
agricola
This term refers to a winery which also
produces other products, such as jams, cheeses or prosciutto.
Bricco
As in
"Bricco dell'Uccellone", produced by Braida , the term refers to the top
of a hill in Piedmontese dialect and is used to indicate particularly
prestigious vineyards.
Cantina sociale
A wine producing
co-operative where several associated growers contribute grapes to a
common product.
Classico
This is a generic term indicating
to a quite limited area within the confines of a particular D.O.C. zone.
It is also used to describe a particular method of in-bottle fermentation
once referred to as "Méthode champenoise". As of 1994, only sparkling
wines actually produced in Champagne are bear that distinction.
D.O.C. (Denominazione di Origine
Controllata)
According to Italian legislation, the
label on a controlled wine must carry THIS certification of origin which
indicates the viticultural area to which it belongs and the method of
production.
D.O.C.G.(Denominazione di Origine Controllata e
Garantita)
In this case, in addition to meeting D.O.C.
requirements, the wine is subjected to more stringent cultivation and
processing controls. The certification constitutes the maximum guarantee
of quality and is awarded only after a taste test by a specially appointed
commission. Italian D.O.C.G. wines are: Albana di Romagna, Asti and
Moscato d'Asti, Barbaresco, Barolo, Brachetto d'Acqui, Brunello di
Montalcino, Carmignano, Chianti, Chianti Classico, Franciacorta,
Gattinara, Ghemme, Montefalco, Sagrantino, Taurasi, Torgiano, Vernaccia di
San Gimignano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
Fattoria
A Tuscan term
indicating a vineyard with its own production facility.
I.G.T.(Indicazioni Geografiche Tipiche)
Denotes a classification between V.D.T. (Vino Da
Tavola) and D.O.C.
Metodo
Classico or Tradizionale
Official terminology used in
the making of sparkling wines, or spumanti, where a second fermentation
takes place in the bottle. (see Classico).
Passito
A sweet, white wine with a
substantially high alcohol content served after meals, often with the
hard, dry cookies so typical of Italy. It is generally produced from
grapes dried either on the vine or shortly before the vitification
process.
Podere
Typical of the Tuscany region, this agricultural enterprise is
generally smaller than a fattoria.
Riserva
Indicates a longer ageing period
which can mean up to 3 years in the barrel before bottling, depending on
the D.O.C.
Ronco
A Friulian term indicating a hillside
vineyard, as in the Abbazia di Rosazzo's Ronco dei Roseti.
Sorì
Used in Piemonte for a
hillside vineyard with a particularly favorable sunny exposure; Sorì
Tildin produced by Angelo Gaja,Superiore
A vintage wine which obtains a 1% increase in alcohol content through
ageing.
V.D.T. (Vino Da
Tavola)
A generic denomination for wines of non-specific
origin or other classification. Recent years have seen an increase in
high-quality, reasonably priced VDT wines, a good example of which is the
Sassicaia produced by Tenuta San Guido. It was finally awarded D.O.C.
status in 1994.
Vigna
Vineyard
Vino novello
Name used in Italy to indicate
wines bottled and sold as quickly as one month after harvest, following a
specific vitification process. In the US, these are also known by the
French term vins primeurs. The resulting wines are light and fruit
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