Maremma DOC Rules
The Italian quality wine rules, especially those for Maremma DOC rules, are everything you might expect – complex, a bit bureaucratic and constantly changing. The basic quality pyramid is:
- vino (used to be vino da tavola): basic table wine, must be made from grapes, that’s about it
- indicazione geografica tipica/protetta– IGT/IGP: specifies the grapes you can use and a broad geographical region they must come from
- denominazione di origine controllata – DOC: equivalent to the French AC, strict rules limiting the areas of production and the grape varieties allowed, minimum alcohol levels, and how long wines must be aged before they can be released
- denominazione di origine controllata e garantita – DOCG: a sort of super-DOC, the DOCG is restricted to better areas; wines are tasted to check that they conform to the expected general characteristics
The new EU rules which came into force for the 2009 vintage are now beginning to be established and recognised. In addition to the established DOC/DOCGs, the idea is to have larger, clearer, regional DOPs (denominazione di origine protetta) or IGPs (indicazione di origine protetta) to create a clearer system. Producers can continue to use the old DOC/DOCG or IGT designations if they wish to or the new ones.
Maremma DOCs and DOCGs
Note: since I started this list Italian Wine Centre has provided a fuller, more detailed list here, including the IGP/IGTs. Here is a summary of the Maremman DOC(G)s. Where there is a Rosso, assume there is also a Rosato allowed.
The latest, fast-growing, catch-all denomination is Maremma Toscana DOC, an upgrade on the previous IGT of the same name. It came into effect in 2014. This is hugely flexible in terms of the grape varieties allowed and, from a marketing perspective, has the enormous benefit of having Toscana in the name. The latest version of the rules in 2020 increased the range of varieties in the Rosso and Bianco categories and introduced the possibility of naming two varieties on the label. Read more
| Ansonica Costa dell’Argentario DOC | minimum 85% Ansonica; tiny 9ha DOC |
| Bianco di Pitigliano DOC | Minimum 40% Trebbiano Toscano, max. 60% other approved varieties; Greco, Malvasia bianca toscana e Verdello, individually or together not more than 20%; Grechetto, Chardonnay, Sauvignon (bianco), Pinot bianco e Riesling italico (bianco), individually not more than 15%, together not more than 30%. Other authorised white grapes, upto 10%. |
| Bolgheri Bianco DOC | Trebbiano toscano: from 10 to 70%;Vermentino: from 10 to 70%; Sauvignon: from 10 to 70%. Also Bolgheri Vermentino DOC – min. 85% Vermentino and Bolgheri Sauvignon Blanc (min. 85%) |
| Bolgheri Rosso DOC | Any proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and/or Merlot. Maximum 50% Sangiovese or Syrah |
| Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC | Cabernet Sauvignon at least 80% |
| Capalbio DOC | minute DOC with a range of Bianco (min. 50% Trebbiano), Rosso (min. 50% Sangiovese) and single varietal wines |
| Elba DOC | Island DOC for dry Rosso (min. 60% Sangiovese), Bianco (10–70% Trebbiano Toscano (locally called Procanico); 10–70% Ansonica and/or Vermentino) and varietal wines |
| Aleatico Passito dell’Elba DOCG | Sweet red wine made from Aleatico variety |
| Maremma Toscana DOC | See above |
| Morellino di Scansano DOCG | Min. 85% Sangiovese min. 12,50% alcohol, for the Riserva 13,00% For ‘riserva’, the wines must be aged for at least 2 years, one of which must be in wood barrels |
| Montecucco DOC | Rosso: min. 60% Sangiovese. Bianco: min. 40% Trebbiano Toscano and/or Vermentino; Montecucco Vermentino 85% of the variety |
| Montecucco Sangiovese DOCG |
Min. 90% Sangiovese; min. 13% alcohol, 13.5% for riserva |
| Monteregio di Massa Marittima | Rosso: Sangiovese, at least 50%; up to 10% of other authorised grape varieties (each). For ‘rosso’ a minimum of 11.5% alcohol, for riserva 12%. Bianco (Trebbiano toscano, minimum of 50%;Vermentino, Malvasia bianca, Malvasia bianca di Candia e Ansonica, each or together not more than 30%). Varietal DOCs for Vermentino, Viognier, Sangiovese and Syrah |
| Montescudaio DOC | Bianco (min. 50% Trebbiano Toscano), Rosso (min. 50% Sangiovese), plus varietal wines for Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese. |
| Parrina DOC | Rosso (Sangiovese: at least 70%), Bianco: (30–50% Ansonica; 20–40% Vermentino; 10–30% Trebbiano Toscano; max. 20% Chardonnay and/or Sauvignon Blanc). Varietal wines for Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc or Vermentino, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Sangiovese |
| Sovana DOC | Rosso (min. 50% Sangiovese), varietal wines for Aleatico, Ciliegiolo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese |
| Suvereto DOCG | Rosso (85% Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot). Varietal wines for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese |
| Terratico di Bibbona | Bianco (min. 50% Vermentino). Rosso (min. 35% Merlot and min. 35% Sangiovese. Varietal wines for Vermentino and Trebbiano; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Sangiovese. Large area between Montescudaio and Pisa but only 10 ha. |
| Val di Cornia DOC | Bianco (min. 50% Vermentino; up to 50% Ansonica, Malvasia Bianca Lunga, Trebbiano Toscano, and/or Viognier). Varietals wines for Ansonica and Vermentino. Varietal wines for Cabernet Sauvignon, Ciliegiolo, Merlot, Sangiovese |
| Val di Cornia Rosso or Rosso di Val di Cornia DOCG* | Rosso (min. 40% Sangiovese, max. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Merlot)*These are alternative names for the same wine |
| Resource | The official listing of DOCs and DOCGs can be found here in Italian. |
Other selected TUSCAN DOCs and DOCGs |
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| Chianti Classico DOCG | Sangiovese at least 80%, other authorised black grapes (either local or ‘international’), up to 20% From 2006 on, white grapes no longer allowed, as in the past. Riserva: 24 months of ageing Gran Selezione: must be own fruit; 30 months of ageing |
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| Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG | Sangiovese (here called Prugnolo gentile): minimum 70%. Cannaiolo nero upto 20%. Other black grapes up to 20%, white grapes up to 10%. Minimum of 2 years ageing |
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| Brunello di Montalcino DOCG | 100% Sangiovese (here called Brunello). Minimum of 2 years of oak ageing. Released on sale 5 years after the harvest, 6 years for the Riserva | |
| Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG | At least 85% Vernaccia di SG (said to be unrelated to all the other Vernaccia); 10.5% or 11% for riserva which also must be aged for 14 months before release (of which three in the bottle) | |
| other Chianti subzones, eg Rufina | 70-100% Sangiovese, up to 10% white grapes allowed, not more than a total of 15% Cabernet Franc/Sauvignon |
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