🏷️ DOCG

DOCG is the higher of the two Italian categories of protected-origin wine. It stands for "denominazione di origine controllata e garantita" (controlled and guaranteed designation of origin). Italian law divides PDO wines into DOCG and DOC, and these are the traditional terms Italy uses for them within the European system of protected designations of origin (PDO).

DOCG can be granted only to wines that have already been DOC for at least seven years and are considered of particular merit. Its vineyard and winemaking rules must be stricter than those of the DOC it came from. The production specification of each designation sets the production area, the grape varieties, the maximum yield per hectare and the minimum alcohol strength.

Before a batch of DOCG wine can be sold under the name, it must pass a chemical-physical analysis and a tasting by an approved panel. For DOCG these checks are systematic, and a positive result is valid for 180 days.

Below DOC on the Italian scale is IGT, the traditional term for wines with a protected geographical indication. Some names add "Classico", reserved for wine from the oldest zone of origin, or "Riserva", which requires a minimum ageing period (for example two years for red wines and one year for white wines).