The first few DOCGs were introduced in 1980, and today there are still relatively few; just 77 across Italy. A DOCG has stringent quality controls in place, although these can only be compared to its previous DOC status rather than to other DOCs. All wines undergo analysis and testing by a government-approved panel. Wines bottled under a DOCG are required to include a status label on the neck: pink for red wines and green for white wines.
Denominazione di origine controllata e garantita is intended to be a superior classification to DOC, and is the highest classification in Italy. All DOCG wines from each producer are analysed and tasted by government–licensed judgement panel before being bottled. Once approved, the wines are “guaranteed” with a numbered governmental seal across the cap or cork, to prevent later manipulation. Where the DOCG classification represents a refinement of an existing DOC wine, the rules for the DOCG wine usually require more stringent quality controls. These controls are usually some combination of a lower proportion of blending grapes, lower yields, higher minimum alcohol, longer ageing requirements, and so on.
The need for a DOCG identification arose when the DOC designation was, in the view of many Italian food industries, given too liberally to different products. A new, more restrictive identification was then created as similar as possible to the previous one so that buyers could still recognize it, but qualitatively different. The three original DOCGs were Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Barolo, all approved by a presidential decree in July 1980, followed by Barbaresco. For wines produced in Bolzano, where German is an official language, DOCG may be written as Kontrollierte und garantierte Ursprungsbezeichnung.
In 2010–2011 many new DOCG classifications were created or elevated from DOC, in the rush to register them before the EU reform deadline. This has had the effect of potentially diluting the importance of the DOCG classification.
List of the Italian DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) wines ordered by region.
Northern regions
Emilia Romagna : Albana di Romagna, Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto.
Friuli-Venezia Giulia : Ramandolo, Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit, Rosazzo.
Lombardia : Franciacorta, Oltrepo Pavese, Moscato di Scanzo or “Scanzo”, Sforzato di Valtellina or Sfurzat di Valtellina, Valtellina Superiore (sub-regions Inferno, Grumello, Maroggia, Sassella and Valgella)
Piemonte : Asti in the sub-appellations Asti (Bianco) and Moscato d’Asti (Bianco), Barbaresco Barbera d’Asti, Tinella, Colli Astiani, Nizza, Barbera del Monferrato Superiore (Rosso), Barolo , Brachetto d’Acqui, Dolcetto di Dogliani Superiore or Dogliani, Dolcetto di Ovada, Gattinara, Gavi or Cortese di Gavi, Ghemme, Roero, Erbaluce di Caluso , Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba, Ruché, Alta Langa.
Veneto : Amarone della Valpolicella, Bagnoli Friularo, Bardolino Superiore, Colli di Conegliano, Colli Euganei Fior d’Arancio, Asolo Prosecco, Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco, Lison, Montello Rosso, Piave Malanotte , Recioto di Soave, Soave Superiore, Recioto di Gambellara , Recioto della Valpolicella.
Central regions
Abruzzo : Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Tullum.
Lazio : Cannellino di Frascati, Cesanese del Piglio, Frascati Superiore.
Marche : Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Riserva, Conero, Offida,Vernaccia di Serrapetrona, Verdicchio di Matelica
Toscana : Brunello di Montalcino, Carmignano Chianti (Rosso as normale and Riserva), Chianti Classico, Elba Aleatico, Montecucco, Morellino di Scansano, Suvereto, Val di Cornia, Vernaccia di San Gimignano Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
Umbria : Sagrantino di Montefalco, Torgiano Rosso Riserva.
Southern regions
Basilicata : Aglianico del Vulture Superiore
Campania : Aglianico del Taburno, Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo, Taurasi.
Puglia : Castel del Monte, Nero di Troia Reserva, Primitivo di Manduria
Sardinia : Vermentino di Gallura
Sicilia : Cerasuolo di Vittoria
This is a list of the 77 Italian DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) wines ordered by region.
(Source : WIKIPEDIA)
Northern regions
Emilia Romagna
- Albana di Romagna (Bianco as secco or asciutto, amabile, dolce, passito and passito riserva), produced in the provinces of Bologna, Forlì-Cesena and Ravenna
- Colli Bolognesi Pignoletto, produced in the province of Bologna
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
- Ramandolo (Bianco), produced in the province of Udine, in the area of Ramandolo, in the comune of Nimis, Italyand in part of the comune of Tarcento
- Colli Orientali del Friuli Picolit (Passito), produced in the province of Udine
- Rosazzo, produced in the province of Udine
Lombardia
- Franciacorta (as Spumante, Spumante rosé and Spumante cremant), produced in the province of Brescia
- Oltrepo Pavese Metodo Classico (as Rosé, Cremant, Pinot Noir, Pinot Noir Rosé), produced in the province of Pavia
- Moscato di Scanzo or “Scanzo”, produced in the province of Bergamo
- Sforzato di Valtellina or Sfurzat di Valtellina (Rosso), produced in the province of Sondrio
- Valtellina Superiore (Rosso as normale and Riserva) with the option to indicate one of the
sub-regions Inferno, Grumello, Maroggia, Sassella and Valgella, produced in the province of Sondrio, or the sub-region Stagaflassi for wine bottled in Switzerland
Piemonte
- Asti in the sub-appellations Asti (Bianco) and Moscato d’Asti (Bianco), produced in the provinces of Asti, Cuneoand Alessandria
- Barbaresco (Rosso as normale and Riserva), produced in the province of Cuneo
- Barbera d’Asti (Rosso as normale and Superiore), produced in the province of Asti, with the
option to indicate one of the sub-regions - Tinella in the region surrounding Costigliole d’Asti
Colli Astiani in the region surrounding Vigliano d’Asti - Nizza, produced in the region surrounding Nizza Monferrato. Formerly a sub-region of
Barbera d’Asti, it was promoted to DOCG in 2014 - Barbera del Monferrato Superiore (Rosso), produced in the provinces of Asti and
Alessandria - Barolo (Rosso as normale, Riserva and Chinato), produced in the province of Cuneo
- Brachetto d’Acqui or Acqui (Rosso as normale and Spumante), produced in the provinces
of Asti and Alessandria - Dolcetto di Dogliani Superiore or Dogliani (Rosso), produced in the province of Cuneo
- Dolcetto di Ovada Superiore or Ovada (Rosso), produced in the province of Alessandria
- Gattinara (Rosso as normale and Riserva), produced in the province of Vercelli
- Gavi or Cortese di Gavi (Bianco as Frizzante, Spumante and Tranquillo), produced in the
province of Alessandria - Ghemme (Rosso as normale and Riserva), produced in the province of Novara
- Roero (Bianco as Roero Arneis and Roero Arneis Spumante, Rosso as normale and
Riserva), produced in the province of Cuneo - Erbaluce di Caluso or Caluso (Bianco), produced in the province of Turin
- Dolcetto di Diano d’Alba or Diano d’Alba (Rosso), produced in the province of Cuneo
- Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato (Rosso), produced in the province of Asti
- Alta Langa (Sparkling, traditional method), produced in the provinces of Alessandria, Asti and Cuneo
Veneto
- Amarone della Valpolicella
- Bagnoli Friularo or “Friularo di Bagnoli”
- Bardolino Superiore (Rosso), produced in the province of Verona
- Colli di Conegliano, produced in the province of Treviso
- Colli Euganei Fior d’Arancio or “Fior d’Arancio Colli Euganei”, produced in the Padua
- Asolo Prosecco or sometimes “Colli Asolani Prosecco” before 2014, produced in the
province of Treviso - Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco, produced in the province of Treviso
- Lison, produced in the province of Treviso and straddling the border with Friuli
- Montello Rosso, produced in the province of Treviso
- Piave Malanotte or “Malanotte del Piave”, produced in the Piave area
- Recioto di Soave (Bianco as normale, Classico and Spumante), produced in the province
of Verona - Soave Superiore (Bianco as normale, Classico and Riserva), produced in the province of
Verona - Recioto di Gambellara (Bianco)
- Recioto della Valpolicella
Central regions
Abruzzo
- Colline Teramane Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, produced in a subregion of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo in the Teramoprovince
- Tullum, also known as Terre Tollesi, located near the middle of Abruzzo’s coastline.
Lazio
- Cannellino di Frascati, a sweet dessert wine, produced in the province of Roma
- Cesanese del Piglio or “Piglio”, grown in the Prenestina hills southeast of Rome. Red,
some sparkling is produced. - Frascati Superiore, produced in the province of Roma
Marche
- Castelli di Jesi Verdicchio Riserva, produced in the province of Ancona
- Conero (Rosso only as Riserva), produced in the province of Ancona
- Offida, produced in the province of Ascoli Piceno
- Vernaccia di Serrapetrona (Rosso as Dolce and Secco), produced in the province of
Macerata - Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva, produced in the province of Matelica
Toscana
- Brunello di Montalcino (Rosso as normale and Riserva), produced in the province of Siena
- Carmignano (Rosso as normale and Riserva), produced in the provinces of Firenze and
Prato - Chianti (Rosso as normale and Riserva), in the provinces of Arezzo, Firenze, Pisa, Pistoia,
Prato and Siena; with the option to indicate one of the sub-regions:
Colli Aretini as normale and Riserva produced in the province of Arezzo
Colli Senesi as normale and Riserva, produced in the province of Siena
Colli Fiorentini as normale and Riserva, produced in the province of Firenze
Colline Pisane as normale and Riserva, produced in the province of Pisa Montalbano as normale and Riserva, produced in the provinces of Firenze, Pistoia and Prato
- Montespertoli as normale and Riserva, produced in the province of Firenze
Rufina as normale and Riserva, produced in the province of Firenze
Chianti Superiore, produced throughout the Chianti region with the exception of the classico sub-region.
- Chianti Classico became a separate DOCG in 1996. Chianti Classico was originally established as a sub-region of the Chianti DOC in 1967, which became a DOCG in 1984. Chianti Classico DOCG has different regulations from Chianti DOCG, the percentage of Sangiovese used in Chianti Classico DOCG is at least 80% compared to 70% to 75% that of Chianti DOCG. White varietal is prohibited in Chianti Classico DOCG while it can be used in Chianti DOCG.
- Elba Aleatico Passito produced in the Livorno
- Montecucco produced in the province of Grosseto
- Morellino di Scansano (Rosso as normale and Riserva), produced in the province of
Grosseto - Suvereto produced in the province of Livorno
- Val di Cornia produced in the province of Livorno and Pisa
- Vernaccia di San Gimignano (Bianco as normale and Riserva), produced in the province of
Siena - Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (Rosso as normal and Riserva), produced in the province of
Siena
Umbria
- Sagrantino di Montefalco (Rosso as Secco and Passito), produced in the province of Perugia
- Torgiano Rosso Riserva (Rosso only as Riserva), produced in the province of Perugia
Southern regions
Basilicata
- Aglianico del Vulture Superiore, produced in the province of Potenza
Campania
- Aglianico del Taburno, produced in the province of Benevento
- Fiano di Avellino (bianco), produced in the province of Avellino using the Fiano grape.
- Greco di Tufo (bianco, also as spumante), produced in the province of Avellino
- Taurasi (rosso also as Riserva), produced in the province of Avellino
Puglia
- Castel del Monte Bombino Nero, produced in the provinces of Bari and Foggia
- Castel del Monte Nero di Troia Reserva, produced in the provinces of Bari and Foggia
- Castel del Monte Rosso Riserva, produced in the provinces of Bari and Foggia
- Primitivo di Manduria Dolce Naturale, produced in the province of Taranto
Sardinia
- Vermentino di Gallura (Bianco as normale and Superiore), produced in the provinces of
Nuoro and Sassari
Sicilia
- Cerasuolo di Vittoria (Rosso as normale and Classico), produced in the provinces of
Caltanissetta, Catania and Ragusa