Geography and landscape
Italy lies in southern Europe and extends as a peninsula into the Mediterranean Sea. In the north, the country is bordered by the Alps. Around 41.6 percent of the area is hilly land, 35.2 percent is mountainous land and 23.2 percent is flat land. The most important mountain systems are the Alps in the north and the Apennines along the peninsula.
Climate and geology
Italy lies in a transitional climatic zone between European continental and Mediterranean conditions. Precipitation conditions generally differ between the north and the south. The complex geological structure is shaped by the Alpine and Apennine mountain systems, the earlier opening of the Tethys Sea and subsequent subduction processes.
Vine growing and history
Wine growing in Italy was already carried out by the Etruscans and the Romans. After the fall of the Roman Empire, it was continued in particular in abbeys and monasteries and spread again across many regions around the second millennium. A national register records wine grapes for pressing, table grapes, rootstock vines and varieties for special uses. The official viticulture statistics document vineyard areas as well as the production and use of wine grapes for pressing and table grapes together with the regions and autonomous provinces.
Wine law and wine styles
Italian Law No. 238 of 12 December 2016 provides the national framework for growing, production, trade, marketing and controls in the wine sector. DOCG and DOC refer to wines with a protected designation of origin status, IGT stands for wines with a protected geographical indication. The regulations include, among other things, still wine, liqueur wine, sparkling wine, quality sparkling wine, aromatic quality sparkling wine, sparkling wine (perlwein) and wines made from dried or overripe grapes. Indications of origin may specify the growing area, permitted grape varieties, the maximum yield per hectare and the minimum alcohol content at release.
