🏷️ DOC (Italy)
Italian traditional term for wine with a protected designation of origin (PDO), used together with DOCG.
DOC (Italy) is an Italian wine category with a controlled name of origin: the wine is made in its own zone under set rules. DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) is, together with DOCG, the traditional term Italy uses for wines with a protected designation of origin (PDO). Under Law 238/2016 the label may show DOC alone or together with the European term DOP.
Each DOC has a production specification (disciplinare). It sets the production zone, the permitted grape varieties and their shares, the maximum grape yield per hectare, the minimum alcohol strength and the control body. A DOC can be recognised for wine from a zone that has already been an IGT for at least five years, and its rules must be stricter than those of that IGT.
Mentions such as "riserva" (at least two years of ageing for red wine, one year for white) and "superiore" (lower yield and higher alcohol) may be used only if the specification provides for them. A wine can be promoted from DOC to DOCG only after at least seven years as a DOC.
How it connects to Wine
🏷️ DOC (Italy) ← similar ← 🏷️ Protected designation of origin (wine) → kind of → 🏷️ Wine classifications → kind of → 🍷 Wine
How it connects to Food labels & standards
🏷️ DOC (Italy) → kind of → 🏷️ Protected designation of origin (PDO) → kind of → 🏷️ How to read a food label
Links
- Part of
- 🏷️ Protected designation of origin (wine), 🏷️ Protected designation of origin (PDO)
- Where it applies
- 🗺️ Italian wine
- Similar and different
- 🏷️ Protected designation of origin (wine), 🏷️ DOCG, 🏷️ IGT
- What defines it?
- Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 on the common market organisation
Frequently asked questions
What does DOC mean on Italian wine?
Denominazione di Origine Controllata: Italy's traditional term for a wine with a protected designation of origin (PDO).
How does a zone become a DOC?
Under Law 238/2016 the zone must have been recognised as IGT for at least five years, and the application must be backed by at least 35% of the growers, representing at least 35% of production.
How is DOC different from DOCG?
DOCG is reserved for wines that have been DOC for at least seven years and have stricter rules than the DOC they come from.
Guides
What to read next
- Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 on the common market organisation — The EU market law that defines product names and categories for wine, olive oil and dairy, wine labelling and wine PDO/PGI. Applies from 1 January 2014.
- 🏷️ IGT — Italian traditional term for wine with a protected geographical indication (PGI/IGP).
Similar
🏷️ DOCG · 🏷️ DOC (Portugal) · 🏷️ DOCa / DOQ · 🏷️ Appellation d'origine contrôlée · 🏷️ Vino de Pago · 🏷️ Vino de Calidad con Indicación Geográfica
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.
Sources
- Wikidata
- Legge 12 dicembre 2016, n. 238 (Testo unico del vino), artt. 28, 31, 33, 35 — Gazzetta Ufficiale n. 302
- Legge 12 dicembre 2016, n. 238 — Normattiva